Until the Day I Act
by BluBooThalassophile
Summary: She wasn't from the village, she was one of his dearest friends and she was a diplomat. He's learning to be a diplomat for his village, he's trying to keep the fragile after war world they reside in from being ripped to pieces. But learning to strategize the path for the world to take isn't easy without help, that's where she's coming in. But what happens when they come together?
1. Part 1: Chapter 1

**27/10/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Awesome Beta, The Fabulous Zyura Kailaidrianina! Who is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Act. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

* * *

 **JUST FORWARNING YOU, THERE ARE NO INSTANT COUPLES, QUICK STORY PLOTS IN ANY OF THE UNTIL THE DAY I... STORIES! THESE ARE SLOW PACE STORIES! AND THEY ARE LABELED DRAMA NOT ROMANCE!**

* * *

 **.**

* * *

 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

* * *

 **.**

* * *

After the Fourth Great Shinobi War the injured were dispersed throughout the Shinobi Allied Forces for care and treatment of psychological traumas and the physical wounds sustained in battle. Shinobi were taken to the village which would suit the needs of their injuries. Many of the critically injured and dying were taken to Konohagakure for treatment; among them were:

-Jinchūriki; Uzumai Naruto

-Jinchūriki; Killer B

-Hatake Kakashi

-Raikage; A

-Mizukage; Mei

-Kazekage; Gaara

-Hokage; Tsunade

-Nara Shikamaru

-Temari

-Sai

-Yamanaka Ino

-Akimichi Chōji

And the renowned criminal and rogue-nin:

-Uchiha Sasuke

* * *

 **.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

The world was a wreck, for it was only a few weeks after the war had ended. But it didn't matter as she was back here in Sunakagure trying to get her village on its feet again. However, today she had been summoned to Gaara's office. She did not particularly know why she was being summoned, but she was one of the few who were completely healed.

"We are going to Konoha," Gaara informed her.

"We are?" she asked.

"Yes, the Kage have convened a meeting to discuss alliances and punishments for the criminals who came to our aid during the war," Gaara said in his soft, even tone. Temari blinked.

"What about rebuilding? What about healing the wounded and helping the civilians?" Temari demanded.

"That will continue, Kankurō is going to be in charge of the village while you and I go to Konohagakure," Gaara said.

"Alright," she conceded. If that was what they were doing now then she was fine with it. Besides, she liked traveling around, and it would be fun to return to Konoha for a bit.

"Prepare to leave immediately," Gaara said softly.

"Yes sir," she replied, saluting her Kazekage before she made her way to the door. It was when she opened it that she found herself face to face with one of her best friends, Nara Shikamaru. He looked startled when she found herself looking up to him slightly.

"Nara Shikamaru was sent as an escort," Gaara said.

"Oh, alright," she was a little flustered having almost walked into the younger man but she was quick to recover her senses as she smirked at him. "Sent to be a babysitter Shikamaru?" she teased.

"Hardly, I'm here to make sure you don't cause trouble," he replied. She snickered as she left him behind because she could still see the disdain on his face at having been sent here. He was an amazing shinobi, she'd even admit it; however, he was the laziest man she'd ever met and that was her first impression of him.

Temari had found him amusing the first time she had ever met him. He had been shoved into the arena before he could forfeit, and been 'boo'ed the entire time. 'Mr. Frowning,' as she had dubbed him, he had infuriated and amused her. Laying down he had angered her enough to react, she remembered that, and then she found him to be deviously condescending.

Him! He was her little brother's age and he was talking down at her!

Then he had impressed her, and it was not easy to impress her, but there was no denying his talent. Shikamaru was quick on his feet, sharp with his mind, and devious in his tactics; he was way past the stage of genin, even she would admit it. He was lazier than a turtle though!

And she found herself gradually finding a friend in him after their fight at Konohagakure.

Or at least she had thought of him as a friend or made herself believe that to be the truth. He was the same age as her little brother! She was not going to have a crush on a guy who was younger than her. She was fifteen when she had met him, and he was twelve; he was a frickin' kid! She Did Not Have A Crush On Shikamaru.

That was final, and she was still certain of it even now after the war. Shikamaru was her kid brother's age and while that was fine, and she considered him one of her best friends, she did not have a crush on him. She liked being around him, he wasn't stupid, dull or boring; he was witty, sharp and calm. He was of the few people whom she could talk to about strategy or challenge to a game of shōgi, and in a spar; when she managed to entice him into one; it was the most challenging thing she'd ever encounter. Kankurō had teased her once that she had robbed the cradle; she had promptly beaten him up and walked away in a murderous mood.

Gaara had been quick to send her off on a mission, and she ran into Shikamaru then.

Temari had wanted to beat her head against a tree because she could hear Kankurō's teasing in her head. However, because he was a member of the diplomatic force for his village, and she was a diplomat of Suna, they ran into one another often. It was important that they have a working relationship, and it helped that she could consider him to be one of her few, true friends.

Walking into her apartment she packed up a few changes of clothes, arranged for her rent to be paid, and gathered up her only photo of mother. Once she was ready to leave, she locked her apartment up and walked down the hall towards the street. When she saw Yakata and Matsuri outside on the street, she stealthily tried to evade her brother's fangirls.

"Hey Temari!" a voice called behind her. She internally winced as she plastered a fake smile on her lips and turned to the girls who were jogging up the street towards her.

"Yakata, Matsuri, how are you doing?" she asked politely. The girls started babbling for a few minutes.

"Temari," a voice called over her shoulder, she looked over to the gangly teen who was lazily standing with his hands in his pockets.

"Coming, talk to you girls later," Temari waved before she joined Shikamaru, walking with him in companionable silence. It was nice not to need conversation; they made it to the gate when Gaara joined them. Together they started running across the desert towards Konohagakure to start trying to fix this post war world they were residing in. She was curious just how different the world was going to be, for this was already different than before.

* * *

Shikamaru was reading over the documents for the peace treaties and found one consistent request in all of them:

-Uchiha Sasuke.

The problem Shikamaru didn't think the other Kage and the village council accounted for; the one which made all of their demands for the head of the Uchiha void, was the pinkette who was currently guarding him. However, the Raikage wanted to get around that and execute the Uchiha no matter what, which Shikamaru was relatively certain would not sit well with Konoha. Naruto and Kakashi were friends of the Uchiha, and Sakura was his current guard, and if those three were involved with something then it was a known fact that Sai and Yamato were also going to be involved.

Shikamaru didn't think it was going to work.

"What are you looking at?" Temari asked as she walked over to where he was sitting by the campfire.

"Treaties for peace," he answered truthfully and moved over a bit as she sat beside him. He had always been wary of Temari, not because she was a bad woman or his enemy or anything like that, but rather because the woman had the most terrifying temper (aside from maybe Sakura's temper and his mother's) that he had ever encountered. She was a very good friend in his mind, he did like her, but he was careful not to provoke her temper.

"Oh? Anything in particular troubling about them?" she asked as she took the one he was holding from his hand. He'd have been frustrated with her candid snatching of the treaties but Gaara also picked up one as he sat down on the other side of Temari to read one over. This was Temari, he knew that and could accept it, and she'd been this way since they had started working together for the Chūnin Exams so long ago. She was reading over the material when, like a cat, the woman stretched out on her stomach to read the paper.

"Huh? This seems pretty straightforward," she said. "So why are you frowning about it?"

"It's the request," he said and pointed it out. Her cat like eyes widened as she reread the line she had obviously missed. Shikamaru wasn't surprised to see that she had to reread the line, it wouldn't mean anything to her, however, after the war, Team 7 would not be letting go of their returned teammate. It wasn't in them; they would guard him from the Kage and persecutors of the Uchiha.

"Right, I forgot, he's returned, hasn't he," Temari said softly.

"Yeah, and everyone wanting him is not… helping," Shikamaru decided. He didn't like this situation. Even with all of the requests, there was simply no way Naruto was going to let Sasuke be executed, despite all the crimes the Uchiha had committed.

"Well, you can't exactly blame them, he did try to kill the Kage, and capture the Eight Tail's jinchūriki," Temari pointed.

"I know," Shikamaru stated in a cross tone. He knew this, he did, but he was tired of reading the requests for the Uchiha. It wasn't going to happen, he knew it wasn't going to happen, and helping Kakashi try to figure out a compromise wasn't working. Shikamaru could think of nothing that could help them out of this request. There were no more prisoners of trade, no more enemy spies in prisons, and no foreign resources that the others could want.

It was true there were other criminals running around out there, like Orochimaru, but no one had Orochimaru and they weren't asking for him. Sakura and Naruto had brought a half dead, unconscious Uchiha back to the village and the entire world knew it because Naruto was very happy about having the Uchiha back. The happier Naruto was, the more vocal he was; it was almost as simple as two plus two equals four.

"I'm certain you'll think of something," Temari said.

"We'll see," Gaara said softly, which reminded him that the Kazekage was there with him and Temari. He was so used to travelling only with Temari he forgot that her brother was the Kazekage was also traveling with them.

"I don't know, everyone wants him dead," Shikamaru admitted. Everyone, but the Rookie 9 and Kakashi.

"I'm certain everything will work out," Temari pointed out as she handed him back the treat Kumohagakura had proposed.

"I hope so, I don't think Naruto's going to let him be executed," Shikamaru admitted. However, it was really Sakura everyone had to fight against.

"I will discuss this matter with Kakashi when we arrive in Konoha," Gaara said.

"Thanks Gaara," Shikamaru truly meant it. He might not be able to think up a diplomatic solution but he was certain the Kazekage could think of something he hadn't. Shikamaru wasn't much of a diplomat, strategist yes, diplomat… not as much. However he was finding that diplomacy required strategy as well, but he was still figuring this one out. It wasn't easy; he was trying to learn, but it really was not easy to learn diplomacy when he had never really used it before.

With Ino, she just made you do what she wanted you to do, and with Chōji, it was about enticing him to work. Food worked the best on his best friend, but he didn't really no how to manipulate other people into reasonable solutions.

"We'll see how this goes," Gaara said.

"No doubt Gaara can find the solution, he's been one of the best Kazekage our village has ever had," Temari beamed proudly. He just nodded as he lay down beside her and stared up at the starry sky. He hoped that this didn't result in another war when they were still trying to recover from the Fourth Great Shinobi War. The world was fragile, he was seeing that now, and it was terrifying just how fragile it was.

* * *

 **JUST FORWARNING YOU, THERE ARE NO INSTANT COUPLES, QUICK STORY PLOTS IN ANY OF THE UNTIL THE DAY I... STORIES! THESE ARE SLOW PACE STORIES! AND THEY ARE LABELED DRAMA NOT ROMANCE!**

* * *

 **This Is One Of Five Stories With Over Lapping Timelines & Events. The Others Until the Day I... Stories:**

 **-Until the Day I Die [Sasuke & Sakura]**

 **-Until the Day I Happen [** **Chōji** ** & Karui]**

 **-Until the Day I Love [Naruto & Hinata]**

 **-Until the Day I Stumble [Sai & Ino]**

 **And There's Also My Extra Collection of Other Characters:**

 **-Until the Day I Continue**

 **If You Have a Particular Character You Wish to Read About, Make a Request There Please, UtDIC Is A Collection of Character Arches, Varying in Length Status.**

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	2. Part 1: Chapter 2

**27/10/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Awesome Beta, The Fabulous Zyura Kailaidrianina! Who is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Act. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

* * *

 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

* * *

 **.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

"Hey Shikamaru!" he looked up when they arrived at the village gates.

"Naruto? What are you doing up?" Shikamaru demanded. Sakura was going to have the idiot's head if she knew.

"I was discharged," Naruto said.

"By who?" Shikamaru snapped. He wasn't one to particularly care about what others did; however, when it came to his friends, it was a different matter. He counted Naruto as a friend, and he did not want his friend to have his body broken by his furious pink teammate (for Sakura had the temper of all tempers which just made women like Temari and his mother look tame; he'd seen her kill with a single punch and she wasn't even at full strength!).

"Sakura; hospital was over flowing. Also, she broke two would be assassins," Naruto said.

"Sakura?" Gaara asked in an inquiring tone.

"Yeah, she's been busy, what with Ino and planning Sai's surgery, the Kage returning, and the assassination attempts on Sasuke. It's been a bit crazy," Naruto supplied sheepishly as he walked with them. Shikamaru was not surprised to hear the village was busy, but he was startled to hear Ino was awake.

"Ino's awake?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah, been awake for about two weeks; and she's driving Sai nuts," Naruto said.

Shikamaru said nothing; he just frowned at not having known Ino was awake. He had been discharged by Sakura from the hospital three days after the war, and that was nearly eleven days ago. Since then he'd been running around for the Kage, and he hadn't thought to ask about Ino or Chōji with how busy he was.

"Naruto, how's Chōji?" he asked. Chōji had arrived with severe chakra depletion; Sakura had decided to leave him in a medical coma while he recovered. Chōji had also had a broken arm which the pink haired medic had realigned before running off to help someone else. After he had been discharged, he'd been a little busy with Kage business, and then he had to travel to Suna to escort the Kazekage and his party back to Konoha when the Raikage had called for a Kage Summit to be held immediately. Konoha had the most critical patients of the Shinobi Allied Forces, including several members of the Kage's highest ranking shinobi and diplomates, mostly because Konoha had Sakura, and the pinkette was now considered to be one of the best medics ever.

"Awake, or at least that's what Sai said yesterday," Naruto said.

"Thanks Naruto, and you should go rest," Shikamaru stated. The blonde was swaying on his feet and still pretty pale.

"I can't, Kakashi's been named the Sixth Hokage because Granny Tsunade's in a chakra coma, and I was sent here by him to tell you that the Nara and Akimichi residences are to be used as the Kage Embassies because all the inns are filled with the injured and families of the injured," Naruto explained as they walked.

"Alright, now seriously Naruto, before you fall on your face, go rest or Sakura will be having your head on a platter!" Shikamaru snapped as he then left Naruto to guide Temari and Gaara to his family's estate. Though Temari already knew the route to the old estates on the outskirts of the village by heart because she would stay at his family estate during the holidays when everywhere else was full, it was Gaara's first time staying there. Temari, (unsurprisingly), got along fabulously with his mother, and his father had liked her before…

The passing thought had Shikamaru's heart feeling heavy as he walked along the familiar, but new, route to his home. The village was still being rebuilt after the Pain attack, and then there was the war, so it was unsurprising that the hotels and inns were serving as temporary hospitals. Konoha was still rebuilding, but the old family estates like the Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, as well as a good portion of the Hyūga estates and the entire Uchiha compound had all survived because they were all located on the tattered edges of the village.

He stopped when he got to the Nara estate's gates, staring at his mother who was standing there with Chōza. His mom looked… faded. She was always a fierce, strong woman, but as he looked at his mother he couldn't help but thinking of how beaten down she was looking right now. It was Temari who moved past him, marching right up to his mother and before he knew what to expect from her, Temari had pulled Nara Yoshino into an embrace.

"I am so sorry about Shikaku," Temari said and he watched as his mother broke down in Temari's arms.

"I am also sorry for the loss of Shikaku. He was a brilliant strategist," Gaara said. Shikamaru blinked.

"The memorial is in a week," Chōza informed him as he walked by. Shikamaru said nothing nodding as he tried to hold back his pain and grief. The loss of his father was far more painful than the loss of Asuma, though comparing the two would be like comparing lemons to peaches.

There was a drop of rain then, and he looked up as Temari helped his mother into the Nara home.

"Come on Gaara, there's no point in standing here getting soaked," he said as he invited the Kazekage into the house. The quieter man followed him as they both walked inside. Shikamaru made it in just as the sky decided to open up and release all of its grief upon them in the form of rain. It had him staring out at the wet grey world. Had it really only been two weeks since the end of the war?

"Chōza said Chōji and Ino will be alright," his mother informed him which had him looking over his shoulder at her. He noticed that tears still streamed down her face. "You should go visit them."

"I have responsibilities here," he pointed out; he did not want to shove the Kage on his mother and walk off when she was like this.

"I can handle things here for a few hours, Shikamaru, so go visit Ino and Chōji," Yoshino said softly. He watched his normally tyrannical mother meekly walk back into the family home, and he saw Temari pull his mom to her, the older woman nodding. He said nothing as he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked into the rain towards the hospital. He was a member of Ino-Shika-Chō and that gave him a very unique bond with his teammates.

* * *

Temari was not a woman who knew how to comfort people. She just wasn't, never had been; hell, she made kids cry more times than not and she was not a very empathetic person. However, she was a sympathetic person and though she didn't have a clue how to comfort Yoshino, she did know it was important that she be here for the woman. Which was why she was here on the porch with a sobbing woman as she tried to comfort her, and left the arriving Kage to be escorted into the Nara home by Leaf shinobi and turned over to the care of Gaara.

Which she knew was baffling her little brother, but it was more important to attend to Shikamaru's mother right now than the Kage in her mind.

"He wasn't…" Yoshino sobbed. "He wasn't even on the battle field!"

"I know, I know," Temari murmured over and over until the woman finally passed out in exhaustion. Gaara was the one to help Temari move Yoshino in what she assumed to be the master bedroom and onto a futon.

Once that was done, she was surprised to walk into the living area to see Shikamaru entering the house looking like a drenched rat or something equally pathetic with how he stood there moping in the doorway.

"It just hit me that I'll never get to play shōgi with him again," Shikamaru said softly as he stood there. Temari did the same thing she had done for his mother and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a comforting embrace. Though it felt odd to do this, she felt it was right as well.

"It'll be alright," she assured him. She remembered how alone and lost she had felt at the loss of her mother, though she had only been a child at the time. And then there was the death of her father, and that had just about destroyed her. And when Kankurō had been dying from poison before Sakura had saved him, and Gaara had been missing, she had been terrified she was losing them without them ever knowing how much they had meant to her. Then when Gaara had been killed having the Tailed Beast within him removed she had just about broken, it was only thanks to Lady Chiyo she still had her baby brother. At the time she and Gaara had been building a relationship, and when he had been taken away she felt so lost and hurt and aching.

"I know; I at least still have family," he mumbled into her shoulder as his arms came around her as well. "Ino's mom passed away during Pain's attack on the village, and now she's lost her father…" he trailed off and she bit her lip.

Of course he'd love a girl like Ino, she thought bitterly. Ino was every guy's dream girl, with silk hair, beautiful, blue eyes, and brains to boot. She was every guy's perfect woman. Of course a guy like Shikamaru would like her, and Temari loathed herself for thinking this right now when she didn't even have a crush on him.

She. Was. His. Friend.

Nothing more, and she was fine with that as she held onto the lanky teen who was hugging her tightly to him. If she didn't know him better she'd have though he liked her and didn't think her to be so 'troublesome'. She looked over Shikamaru's shoulder to see her baby brother standing there giving her a curious look. She just shook her head, silently telling him they'd talk about this later. Gaara asked her a lot of questions about friends and people; not that she was the best person to ask about these things, but she did try to help.

She had always been a standoffish girl; she didn't like people too much and everyone was always too intimidated by her family to try to really be her friend. But that was before Shikamaru. He had just blatantly ignored all of that and befriended her.

"Ino has you, she'll be alright," Temari said as she pulled away from him. She didn't particularly like being wet; after all, she lived her life in the desert and water was scarce. Though she liked her showers, they always lasted ten minutes; no more, no less. She did not like water.

"Huh?" Shikamaru blinked at her.

"Well, you are her friend, aren't you? You're a member of your secret family jutsu, right?" she demanded sharply pointing out what she had heard whenever she had walked with him. Whispers about how the Nara, Yamanaka and Akimichi clan had some secret pact between them, mastering a team jutsu that no one could really duplicate.

"Yeah," he answered softly as he thought about it.

"Then she's got you, and Chōji. Ino will be fine, in time; not right now, but in time," Temari assured him. "And so will you."

"Thanks Temari," he said and she smiled her sly smile on return; she intended to give him none of the pity she felt for him, but insteand she was going to be a snarky pain in his ass like usual. Because that's what friends were for.

"Thanking me now? Next you'll be worshipping me and my brilliance, Nara," she sniped.

He scowled.

"Troublesome woman," he grumbled and she laughed as she walked away from him towards the guest quarters that were usually hers' when she stayed here.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she announced and left him behind before her smile left her and the weight of sorrow slammed down on her now that she had a moment to breath. She barely made it into her room and shut the door before she collapsed on the futon and let her silent tears fall from the memories of the war now invading her mind.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	3. Part 1: Chapter 3

**27/10/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Awesome Beta, The Fabulous Zyura Kailaidrianina! Who is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Act. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

* * *

 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

* * *

 **.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Temari woke the next day when there was a light knocking on her door.

"Yeah?" she asked as she sat up, yawning, rubbing her eyes, and stretching her back, then blinking when Shikamaru walked in. He looked at her, and she followed his gaze, looking down at her garments. They were was yesterday's clothes but she could tell that an almost indecent amount of her cleavage was showing, not that she usually cared. However, when the Nara just continued to staring at it, she narrowed her eyes and folded her arms beneath her breasts as if to emphasize the fact that she was a woman to him while she waited for him to speak.

"We're expecting the Tsuchikage and his envoy here," Shikamaru explained as he yanked his eyes from her cleavage to her face once again.

"Alright, when are they arriving?" she asked. The old Tsuchikage had been pretty worn out after the war if she remembered correctly.

"Three days, we've just received their hawk. The Raikage and Mizukage will be staying at the Akimichi house after they arrive at the end of the week," he said.

"Has Gaara been informed?" she asked as she pulled herself to her feet and stretched again, feeling that satisfying pop in her back which had her involuntarily groaning in the pleasure as she finished waking up. The day just wasn't right for her when she didn't pop her back, strange as that was. She went to run her fingers through her hair but noticed it was still up in its customary four tails. She started tugging at the lopsided tails as she waited for Shikamaru's answer.

"Yeah, I told him before he told me to tell you; I'm not your errand boy," he said sternly.

"I don't know, you make a pretty good message boy if you ask me," she mused as she mussed her slightly sore head once all of her wild hair was free. No doubt the shoulder length mass was sticking out in odd directions; it never seemed to fall in any sense of order which was why she always wore it up. It wasn't the most glamorous of hairstyles but it stayed out of her face.

"Not really. I'm going to the Yamanaka compound if you want to come with," he said suddenly. She blinked at his offer; sure she and Shikamaru did things together (AS FRIENDS!) but he didn't really invite her to do things with him. However, there was something in those sad lazy eyes which had her thinking he just didn't want to be alone right now. Which, in this situation, was completely understandable.

"Certainly, but I thought the Yamanaka family lived in the village," Temari said as she went to pick out a towel and a fresh set of garments.

"Well, there's not much of the village left from Pain's attack," Shikamaru defended.

"No, I just… I'm sorry," she stammered out.

"No, it's alright, Uncle Inoichi didn't like living at the Yamanaka compound, so he and his family lived in the village and owned a flower shop. He liked the life in the middle of the village better," Shikamaru explained and she saw the sad smile on his lips as he leaned on the doorframe, obviously remembering something.

"Will Ino be there?" she asked absently. She didn't hate Ino, not really; Yamanaka Ino was perhaps one of her few friends here in Konoha and that was only because of Shikamaru. However, the petty female part of her, which was really small and buried deep within her mind, envied the natural beauty of Yamanaka Ino; and she knew it was all natural. She had seen the childhood pictures of Ino with Chōji and Shikamaru.

"No, Ino's still in the hospital, when she gets out of the hospital she'll be back at the Yamanaka compound though," he said softly. "She's planning to rebuild the flower shop," he said with a smile and a shake of his head as if it were amusing.

"Alright, well, let me shower and I'll go with you," she said as she deliberately brushed past him. See, no crush, she cheered internally as she walked by with no stupid butterflies in her stomach, or her heart racing like crazy, or her face turning red, or tripping! She was never again listening to a thing that the stupid genin fangirls of her brother said during a heated battle of war, or to a stupid reincarnated boy telling her he loved her and them saying she was in love with the lazy genius! Never again!

With that in mind she held herself tall, though she hissed when she stubbed her toe and cursed herself as she disappeared into the bathroom, hoping that Shikamaru hadn't seen that.

Temari turned on the shower and rather like a cat she hopped in with great reluctance; she despised being wet, but today the shower felt divine as she scrubbed her sore scalp and body clean of all the dirt from her travels, scrubbing thoroughly before stepping out of the shower. It had been a long shower, fifteen minutes, and she was tempted to make it twenty. However, the nineteen year old woman was refusing to be a child about this; she was an adult and adults did not indulge in pleasures like showers to avoid doing other things.

Toweling herself dry, she pulled on her clean, crisp garments, before drying her hair as she walked out of the bathroom towards her room. Again ,she stubbed her toe and hissed in displeasure as she hopped away from the accursed table, but with a towel on her head she hadn't notice anyone else until she slammed into another body they both crashed into the floor with a loud thud.

"Sorry!" she gasped as she pulled the towel off her head, and then she wished she hadn't so she could disappear as she stared into the sixteen year old boy's eyes.

Damn it.

"Troublesome," he said as he sat them both up.

"Sorry," she said again as she got to her feet. Her heart was slamming mercilessly against her ribs but she ignored it as she offered him her hand. He took it and she helped the young man to his feet.

"Do you ever watch where you are going?" Shikamaru asked. Her eyes narrowed as he frowned and rubbed his chest where she had crashed into him. She could still feel him against her, but she ignored that memory as she planted her hands on her hips and scowled.

* * *

"Nara," she growled out. Part of him was tempted to smirk and continue teasing her since he hadn't actually been offended when she had landed on him. He had actually kind of liked the feel of her. It was one thing to watch Temari, for it was like watching a cat move; however, when she let people touch her, that was a rare moment, even if it was an accident.

"Troublesome," he repeated and they part ways, she was bristling and, rather like a cat, she was snarling and hissing and grumbling under her breath as she stomped away from him. He was amused with her antics. Not that it mattered as he went into his bathroom and took a fast shower before he dressed and was ready to leave for the Yamanaka compound.

Temari was at the entrance of the house pulling her final tail in place as she shot him a dark look, clearly expressing her dislike about something but about what he didn't know.

It didn't matter though; Shikamaru just didn't want to be alone right now. Chōji had had extreme chakra depletion which had nearly killed him, and Ino was still suffering from her own chakra depletion and was now aiding in the healing of Sai at the pleading of Haruno Sakura, who looked ready to collapse on a moment's notice. Also, he didn't need the loud company of Naruto right now; he just wanted someone who was stable, calm, and wouldn't dig into him which ruled out just about everyone but Temari and Chōji. And since Chōji was still in the hospital, he was walking with Temari.

Shikamaru was pondering how Ino's determined declaration of becoming Morino Ibiki's apprentice had changed his relationship with her, but he couldn't figure it out. The moment she had announced her intentions, he had wanted to yell at her that she was out of her mind because Ino… well, Ino was Ino. She was a bit brash, a lot of stubborn, a tad bit blunt, completely honest, and innocent; always so innocent by trying to see the best in people. He didn't want that to change; selfish as it was, he just didn't want it to change. He wanted her to stay Ino, to stay happy and bright and troublesome and innocent.

Her going to working in Torture and Interrogation, or Intelligence, as she had claimed it to be renamed, would change her and he knew it.

She was already different, he could see that, but the thought of her working for that sadist Morino Ibiki… it just made his stomach sink with fear. She'd change. And not for the better…

"Why are we going to the Yamanaka compound?" Temari's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Kurenai and her daughter Mirai are there. I want to check on them since I've been busy with the after war errands and haven't had the time." Shikamaru explained. A few days after the Pain assault on their village he had been called to Kurenai's side because she had gone into labor. He had let her scream and break his hand (Sakura had fixed it afterwards and taught Ino how to fix broken bones in the process), as she suffered through her twenty-three hours of labor and cried for Asuma.

Then there was Mirai; she had come into the world screaming and crying, as if cursing them for bringing her into it. He had loved that baby the moment he had seen her, she was just… she was adorable, with her mother's ruby colored eyes and wild hair with her father's mouth and skin color, he had loved her. She was such a tiny, fragile thing, though he didn't really want to hold her in fear of breaking her.

But then there had been the war, the battles, the rebuilding and the errands all compacted into about a month and a half and he hadn't seen them since the birth of Mirai; he just wanted to know they were alright.

"Kizashi, don't say such horrible things to a new mother!" he heard a voice snipe.

"But it's true, she's so cute you could eat her right up!" a man replied.

"I'm sorry about my idiot husband, Kurenai," the first voice sighed.

"It's quite alright Mebuki," he heard Kurenai answer. As he rounded the corner he saw Sakura's family with Kurenai as a pink haired man held the baby and beamed with pride at the child.

"She's going to be a wild one when she gets bigger!" Kizashi declared.

"How's she doing?" Shikamaru asked drawing the attention of all three adults. Kurenai smiled.

"Shikamaru! I thought you were out of the village!" Kurenai hurried over to him and before he could protest she had swept him up in a hug.

"Got back yesterday," Temari said for him because his tongue felt heavy as he hugged a woman he had come to think of as family back.

"That's fantastic, you're Temari, right?" Kurenai pulled away from him then.

"Yes ma'am," Temari said.

"Asuma said you might be the only shinobi who might be able to thwart Shikamaru," she mused. Shikamaru felt himself heat up at that, and Temari smiled her feline smile which made him wonder just what trick she had hidden up her sleeve. The woman always had him trying to figure her out; for all he knew about Temari she was still one giant mystery to him and those cat-green eyes of hers had him trying to think up counter strategies.

"Well, come see Mirai; Ino's letting me stay here until my apartment is rebuilt," Kurenai said as she guided him towards the bickering blonde and pinkette.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	4. Part 1: Chapter 4

**27/10/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Awesome Beta, The Fabulous Zyura Kailaidrianina! Who is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Act. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

* * *

 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

* * *

 **.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

Shikamaru made it a week, one week, before he was ready to break. The memorial service for his father and Uncle Inoichi was in three days, and today was the first meeting of the Kage meeting which had been hastily convened by the Raikage. The arrival of the samurai yesterday and their being taken to the Hyūga compound because the Uchiha grounds… well, they had long since been marked off but no one cared to tamper with them, especially now that the Uchiha had returned.

But he just had to make it through today; that was today's goal. He was going to do this the same way he had dealt with Asuma's death; he was just going to take it one day at a time, one step at a time, one moment at a time, and perhaps, just maybe this gaping, bleeding hole in his heart where his father's place had been would slowly begin to close up.

But he had to hold it together, for his mother was a wreck.

Nara Yoshino, the woman he thought to be the most tyrannical woman ever created, the woman who had turned his fierce and feared father into nothing but a puddle of goo and stupid grins, was breaking down. Shikamaru had decided that he had to be strong for his mother, so he couldn't break just yet. Which was why he was escorting the Suna shinobi to the Hokage's makeshift office, to keep himself busy, too busy to break. It was the first day of the Kage summit here in Konohagakure, and Kakashi had already warned him it had started off with a bang.

Apparently Sakura had punched the Raikage out of her hospital a few hours ago; straight through the wall and out onto the street.

Also, the council had named Kakashi the Sixth Hokage, mostly because the Fifth Hokage, who had awoken from her coma, was busy at work in the hospital with her terrifying pink apprentice.

Then there was the matter of Naruto being dubbed as Hokage's right hand man (which he was certain had a joke in there somewhere but he couldn't see it as his mind was already heavy with his grief and nothing seemed funny anymore).

Not that it really mattered, Shikamaru supposed, as he was just going to continue the diplomatic duties as he had been doing since he had been promoted to a chūnin, despite the fact that now he was a jonin.

"Hey, Shikamaru," a sharp voice pulled him from his thoughts as he looked over to Temari, her eyes knowing. They made him think that she knew every thought running through his head. Which wasn't possible; Ino would have been screaming in his head to get the intruder out. After all, Ino was a permanent voice in the back of his mind what with her family's jutsu and being a member of Ino-Shika-Chō.

"Hm? What?" he asked.

"You were acting depressed, we're about to be in a Kage meeting, and even if we are peace right now, you can't be letting it show that you're grieving," she said firmly. He said nothing as his face fell behind his usual lazy mask of boredom and she nodded her approval.

"Let us get this meeting started so it can be finished sooner," Gaara rasped as if he were an exhausted old man rather than a young Kazekage.

Shikamaru said nothing as they all walked into the makeshift hut of the Hokage's office.

* * *

Temari took her seat besides Gaara, her eyes tracking Shikamaru as he walked over to his best friend, Chōji, and they exchanged a few words. The bruised face of the Raikage caught her attention first, and he looked livid about it. The Hokage looked like he was trying to stay awake with his head propped up on one hand a book in the other. The Mizukage was trembling, her eyes, though it was hidden with makeup and poise, showed that she had been crying for a while. The Tsuchikage was scowling, but his granddaughter was lounging in her seat, seemingly bored. And the General of the samurai was also here, Mifune, along with Konoha's council of elders. She was not particularly surprised at the turn out for this meeting; post war alliances would either be formed or shattered; it depended on the countries.

However, looking around she was concerned. The atmosphere, despite its calm appearance, was very hostile and had the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as she examined every face.

"I demand you hand over Uchiha Sasuke!" the Raikage suddenly slammed his only fist down on the table, which had her jumping in shock as she was jolted from her thoughts as her eyes snapped to the Raikage. The room was suddenly cold and silent.

"He attacked and kidnapped my brother B, and I want him punished for attacking the Kumogakure immediately. He will return with us where he will be executed!" the Raikage snapped, Temari's green gaze slid over to the Hokage, his council was nodding their heads in agreement which had her frowning slightly.

Now, Temari didn't know a whole lot about Uchiha Sasuke other than he was easy on the eyes, and he had managed to draw out that demon in Gaara with ease. He was also dangerous; but the last she had really seen him had been when she had been a genin when Suna and Oto had attacked Konoha. She hadn't had too many dealings with the Uchiha after that, but she had been attacked by him at the last Kage summit just before the war had started.

However, she also knew Gaara saw a lot of himself in the Uchiha, she had asked him about it when they were finished with the fight with him and the imposter Madara had taken him away. Gaara had simply said that that could have been him if Naruto had not hit him on the head and opened his eyes to all that the world was.

So, a part of her pitied the Uchiha; to her, he was just lost.

However, a larger part of her was analyzing this entire scenario knowing which side her baby brother was on already. Gaara would side with whatever Konoha decided and as she looked Kakashi and Naruto over, she had a feeling this was not going to be a pretty fight.

* * *

Chōji had already filled him in on what had happened at the hospital a few hours ago, though while he was under impression that something else had happened that Chōji wasn't telling him about, he would ignore it for now and focus on what he had just been told.

Now, Shikamaru had never cared one way or the other what the Uchiha was going through or what he was up to. Sasuke was a member of Team 7, and more of Naruto's friend (if their relationship could even be called a friendship) than a friend with anyone else. However, after hearing what Chōji said about the hospital incident, he had a very bad feeling about this.

Even a chakra depleted Sakura could kill a Kage with a well-placed punch. And if she was willing to knock the Raikage out of her hospital for just demanding they hand over the Uchiha, he hated to think of what she'd do when they sent ANBU for him. He knew it wouldn't end well; Sakura was a force to be feared.

However, there was also the concern for the blonde knucklehead and the Sixth Hokage, along with Sai and Yamato; you didn't get one member of Team 7, you always received all of them and if they were all pissed and rallied together… well, there was hell.

Which was why Shikamaru spoke up before Naruto could start the Fifth Great Shinobi War with his blatant lack of tact. But Shikamaru was going to be blunt too, he wasn't Mr. Tact, and he wasn't going to try to be, however he had a plan unfolding in his mind as he stood there with his hands in his pockets.

"You cannot just take the Uchiha," Shikamaru spoke firmly.

"Certainly, we will arrange the ANBU to escort the Uchiha to Kumo where he can be executed," an elder of Konoha said eagerly.

"Didn't you just hear me!?" he snapped, silencing the room before Naruto could explode with outrage. All eyes were on him now and he stood up tall then, he would not waver in what he was about to say.

"Uchiha Sasuke is a member of Konoha's shinobi forces, he is a hero of the Fourth Great Shinobi War, and he helped break the Infinite Tsukiyomi. As members of Konohagakure, we cannot just hand him over," Shikamaru stated coolly.

"The Uchiha will not go unpunished for his crimes! That boy needs to be taught a lesson!" the Tsuchikage egged on. Shikamaru glared at the old man then.

"No; if you try to take him, it won't matter who you send or how many. Haruno Sakura's already broken two would-be assassins, how many more do you think she'll break? And Naruto isn't one to leave a teammate behind, which means Kakashi will join the fight, as will Sai and Captain Yamato, and when they join the fights all of us in Konohagakure will stand with them. Are you really prepared to start the Fifth Great Shinobi War, Raikage?" Shikamaru asked coldly as he slid a glare up to the Raikage who was seething.

* * *

"Suna will stand with Konoha," Gaara said smoothly which had every eye on her brother. She smirked dangerously which had the Kiri shinobi escort of the Mizukage flinching.

"Well, we will be with Kumogakure on this. The Uchiha is a rogue shinobi and extremely dangerous! He should not be living here!" the Tsuchikage snapped.

"There will be no war," Gaara snapped which stilled everyone. She looked over to Naruto who looked like he was seething, though he managed to just sit there twitching.

"Then what do you propose Kazekage?" it was the Hokage's voice which had everyone startled. But looking at the Sixth Hokage she realized something she hadn't noticed. Konoha may not be handing the Uchiha over, but they were going to be doing everything in their power to keep him and appease the other Kage at the same time. No doubt everyone would want him dead, but she had a feeling her brother had a suggestion which might or might not save the Uchiha.

"Redemption; let him find redemption."

She looked to her brother who looked a little sad at this moment but didn't waver from what he was asking of the Kage. Gaara had sought redemption once, it had brought him to where he was today, and because of this her brother believed in second chances. Whether this made him soft or strong as a Kazekage, only time would tell, but right now, she believed he was being strong.

"The Uchiha does not deserve redemption!" the Raikage spat out.

"Neither did I," Gaara stated flatly which had every Kage who didn't already know her brother's dark history staring at them with wide eyes.

"I believe that he can find peace, and redemption, if given the chance. If I had not been given the chance to find those two things myself, we could be in a very different situation, one which would be stained with more blood and loss of life than even now, but I strove to change. I believe the Uchiha can change as well; he came to our aid in the war, he is not completely lost to us," Gaara said in his indifferent tone but she could hear the pain hidden there.

He was not proud of his past, he never would be, and there were times he was still feared and people would flinch away from him because of their memories, but he strove to prove himself to be worthy of the apposition of Kazekage, and earn back their trust.

"Preposterous, the Uchiha would never and can never redeem himself, not even for some measly help during the war!" the Tsuchikage spat out.

"I believe this is now a private conversation, just the Kage, General Mifune, and Konoha's council; all other shinobi are dismissed," Kakashi said firmly. With great reluctance, Temari found herself following the order,joining Shikamaru and Chōji as they walked out of the Hokage's office.

"Any idea how this is going to turn out?" Shikamaru asked her. Temari shrugged. She had no idea but she had a few scenarios playing out in her head already and none of them were particularly pleasant.

"If you would just hand over the Uchiha then there'd be no need for war!" she turned around to look at a scowling redhead with dark skin and gold eyes.

"We are not handing him over," Shikamaru repeated.

"Just give it up! The Raikage is right! He will never change!" the girl shouted at two dark men with blonde hair came to her side. They glared at her, Chōji and Shikamaru. Temari really didn't like people like this girl, closed minded and anger fueled.

"Karui, this is a decision of the Kage," the taller, larger man stated; she recognized him as a leader of the First Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces.

"I'd listen to him, girl, or you'll be the start of the Fifth Great Shinobi War with that temper of yours," Temari sneered.

"Why you…!" the girl was grabbed by the other blonde beside her as a hand touched her own looked over at Shikamaru, who shook his head. She took that as his sign for 'cool it' as she held her giant fan ready for the fight this redhead was obviously itching for.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	5. Part 1: Chapter 5

**27/10/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Awesome Beta, The Fabulous Zyura Kailaidrianina! Who is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Act. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

* * *

 **JUST FORWARNING YOU, THERE ARE NO INSTANT COUPLES, QUICK STORY PLOTS IN ANY OF THE UNTIL THE DAY I... STORIES! THESE ARE SLOW PACE STORIES! AND THEY ARE LABELED DRAMA NOT ROMANCE!**

* * *

 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

* * *

 **.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

"That's enough!" the voice ripped through everyone and she looked to the distraught blonde who was approaching them. Red's teammate was holding her arms as if to keep her from attacking them

"Naruto," Shikamaru started.

"No, Sasuke is my friend, and a member of Konoha shinobi force, but he is a criminal too. But what would killing him accomplish!? Haven't we killed enough? Haven't we lost enough friends in this war? Why should he have to die just because he made mistakes and has gotten a bit lost? We've all gotten lost; and I bet your master and friends helped you out. Why can't _**we**_ _**help**_ _**our**_ _**friend**_ out?" Naruto demanded.

Temari sighed; he looked like her brother did when he was heartbroken or hurting. It was a look she was coming to dislike for it made her feel guilty. It made her feel like there should be more she should do to help Naruto out.

"Naruto, no one's giving up on Sasuke," she admitted. However, there was a reality to face and she would disillusion no one. She would even beat them over the head if that was what it took for them to see the truth and reality of situations from time to time. "But you might have to be realistic about this situation."

Naruto gave her the 'kicked puppy' look which made her internally feel like shit.

"He attacked Master B! He hurt my friends! Why should he get off the hook!?" the Kumo kunoichi shouted at Naruto, which only made the young jinchūriki look more and more distraught. "He should pay for what he's done! And even if I'm the only one who thinks so, I think he should be dead."

"Why?" Temari was startled hearing that voice as she turned to look up at the lazy genius who was looking furious about this.

"Because he's evil! Darui! You saw him at the Kage summit!" the girl turned to the other blonde then.

"Yes I did," the older man nodded.

"And so did I, girl," Temari snapped drawing the eyes of the Kumo-nin. "He's hurt just as many of my friends as yours. And he's even tried to kill my brother once. But I Don't What Him Dead. I want him helped if he can be helped."

She believed this; she believed down to the depths of her soul that people could be saved from themselves. It would be easier to just say he was evil and kill him. But Temari had never found easy to be satisfying, nor simple. Just look at how well that had worked out for her the first time she had met Shikamaru, and that was considered to be an 'easy' match.

"I don't believe you," the redhead hissed as her gold eyes glared balefully at her. Temari however, did not flinch from this girl's gaze as she held it steady.

"That is no longer your choice, and as your friend said, this is no longer our decision; it's in the hands of the Kage and council," Chōji said calmly. It startled her to hear the gentle giant speak so firmly about the matter. The redhead spared Chōji a glance then.

"He should die and you all know it!" the young woman snapped before she stomped off, her two blonde teammates jogging after her.

Chōji sighed. "I should go after them."

"Well, they are Kumogakure-nin under the Akimichi family's supervision," Shikamaru pointed out. She scowled at the man who had indirectly called himself a babysitter. "Naruto, you want to come with us."

"No, I'm staying here; I'll talk to the council and Kage myself to get them see this!" Naruto stated firmly. He lost his 'kicked puppy' look as he whirled around and marched with purpose back towards the hut where the council and Kage were.

Temari sighed a bit. It wasn't that she particularly pitied Naruto, but rather, the reality of this situation.

"You know, if they do decide to give the Uchiha redemption, he will have a lot to sort out in himself," she informed Shikamaru as she hefted her fan up again and walked with him back towards the Nara residence.

"I figured," Shikamaru shrugged.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" she asked her friend. He hadn't been completely himself since the day they had shared that hug. He seemed… quieter, if that were possible, definitely sadder, and a little lost too.

"You know," he shrugged, "one day at a time."

"That's the only way to go. Shikaku would be proud of you," she said as they walked towards the Nara residence. He said nothing to this as they walked in silence, but Temari wasn't shocked or intimidated by the silence. Very much the opposite, she was comfortable with the silence between them.

"Hey," he finally spoke up when they were nearing the compound.

"Hm?"

"Would you…" he trailed off as if distracted before he regathered his thoughts. "Would you mind going with me to the memorial?" he asked.

"What?"

"Dad liked you, and mom needs someone there for her, and you're a friend…" he started hastily which had her touching his shoulder.

"You just caught me off guard, Shikamaru," she said quickly cutting off the nervous babble. Shikamaru wasn't one to babble, even when he was nervous, which informed her that the loss of his father was bothering him more than he was saying as he slowly looked at her.

"I'd be honored to go," Temari said when he finally looked her in the eye.

Shikamaru relaxed as they walked into the compound.

"I'll kick your ass in a game of shōgi," she informed him arrogantly.

"Troublesome," he muttered under his breath but she saw the slight smile on his lips as they walked to his favorite spot to play. Shikamaru pulled the board out and she helped to set the pieces up. She had been practicing; though she wasn't as skilled as him, she was getting better and felt this time she could give him a run for his money.

Last time he'd destroyed her.

Time to return the favor.

* * *

Shikamaru was enjoying the game, much to his shock. Temari had vastly improved in playing shōgi, but he was decidedly still better as he went in for the kill. She was gaping at him and his move.

"No fair! I call a rematch," she demanded.

"Just admit defeat, you're not going to win," he answered blandly though internally he was ready for round two. Those cat eyes of hers narrowed on him.

"No, again!" she snapped.

"Dinner," his mother announced which had him yanking his attention from Temari as they both looked at Yoshino as she wiped her hands on her apron. His mother had a mysterious, sad look in her eye, like something she was looking at was bitter and sweet. He didn't know why as he and Temari stood up to walk in for the supper his mother had made.

"We're having a rematch tomorrow so I can kick your lazy ass," Temari informed him sharply as she sat at the table.

"I doubt you'll win," he shot back as he sat down after his mother was seated.

"Shikaku and Shikamaru used to play shōgi all day and night sometimes," Yoshino mused sadly and he felt a pang in his chest as he sat there staring at his meal.

"My goal was to one day be able to beat him," Shikamaru admitted bitterly. He'd never get to see his father again, or Uncle Inoichi, and that hurt him a lot. It twisted his heart up and stabbed it a thousand times; it felt like he had lost Asuma all over again.

"We could go sparring, but that would mean you'd actually have to get your lazy ass out of bed before noon," Temari snapped, which had him glaring at her. His mother had a soft laugh, which had him smiling a slight thanks to Temari, who was looking rather like a cat who had eaten a canary and gotten offered cream afterwards. There were times he had wondered if he could kiss her but had come to the safe conclusion that touching Temari was going to be a fast way to turn him into firewood.

"I'd still win since you're impatient," he stated coolly as he ate.

"And you're only quick when you're running away," she shot back.

"You think so?" he asked darkly as he smirked at her, she tilted her chin up a degree with smug pride and he was tempted to defeat her just to prove her wrong.

"I know so; you didn't even try to face me in the first match we ever fought," she reminded him.

"Are you ever going to let that go?" he sighed.

"No, slacker," she jabbed back. His mother chuckled again.

"You're like a nagging wife," he huffed out, she scowled then.

"I am not a nagging wife!" she snapped indignantly. He noticed the way his mother was smiling for the first time since Shikaku's death and he smiled internally as he shot Temari a grateful look for what she was doing. They kept up the banter the entire meal, which was easy enough for them to do. When his mother announced she was going to bed, they said good night and waited a half an hour while he read the reports Kakashi had given him and she read her book before they spoke again. He was the one to break their comfortable silence.

"Thank you, Temari," he finally said.

"Hm?" she pulled her attention from her book then.

"You know, for making my mom laugh and smile, losing dad has hit her hard," he admitted.

"It was no problem," she admitted. "Losing a parent is hard. I remember my father was never the same after my mom died; he never smiled after she passed, and he never laughed. I'm glad I can help with Yoshino."

"Well, I couldn't do this alone," he admitted.

"Why not ask Chōji or Ino for help? I'm certain your mother would prefer the company of people she knows than that of a girl who's a step above stranger to her," Temari said as she read her book.

"Well, Ino and Chōji practically grew up here," he admitted. "Ino's not good at making mom feel good; she makes mom worry a lot instead. And Chōji, he's just too kind. You're giving her normal, and laughter; so, thanks," he said.

He didn't mention that Ino and Chōji were like her own kids, and sometimes family wasn't what you needed when you were hurting. Temari was poking and prodding and offering unbiased, untainted sympathy to his mother. Though his family considered her a friend, and though she had stayed here a few times, he knew his parents thought of her as his friend rather than their friend.

"Glad I could help. I'm going to bed, I'll see you in the morning," she said and left him alone at the table as he continued reading the documents over. It was deep into the night when he heard the door slide open and he looked up to see Gaara quietly enter the house. The Kazekage nodded to him as disappeared into his quarters.

Shikamaru said nothing though as he resumed reading the documents. The door was slammed open as the Iwa shinobi stomped in, the Tsuchikage grumbling under his breath; they didn't acknowledge him as they all took to their quarters.

Temari's sleepy, messy blonde head popped out of her room then as she walked over to him.

"Still?" she yawned.

"Yes. Why are you still up? I thought you were asleep." he demanded as he looked a treaty proposal over.

"I was and then someone rudely slammed the door and was talking," Temari said and she pulled the documents from his hand. "Time for bed for you, it's almost two in the morning," she sighed.

"I'm not done reading those!" he protested.

"To bed Shikamaru," she sighed as she pulled him out of the chair.

"Wait," he pleaded. He didn't want to sleep; he didn't like sleeping anymore because he dreamt of his dad, of good times and games of shōgi with his father.

"No," she yawned.

"Temari," he grabbed her then. "I don't want to sleep," he snapped.

"Shikamaru…" she sighed and then she looked him in the eye. "Happy memories that are nothing but a memory haunting you?" she asked.

He nodded slowly.

"You can come sleep with me if you want, but it's just this a onetime thing and if you tell anyone I'll deny it, kill you and bury your body in the middle of the desert, understood?" she asked sleepily.

He nodded then because he just didn't want to be alone.

"Alright, come on," she sighed, he quietly followed her relieved that he wasn't going to be alone for the night with his hauntingly happy memories.

"Night," she sighed when they were laying back to back like they did on their travels.

"Night," he answered just before sleep claimed him.

* * *

 **JUST FORWARNING YOU, THERE ARE NO INSTANT COUPLES, QUICK STORY PLOTS IN ANY OF THE UNTIL THE DAY I... STORIES! THESE ARE SLOW PACE STORIES! AND THEY ARE LABELED DRAMA NOT ROMANCE!**

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	6. Part 1: Chapter 6

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 6**

It had been four days since she had offered her comfort to Shikamaru in the form of letting him sleep in her bed ( _ **NO**_ _ **sex**_ , _**just**_ _**sleep!**_ ), and it was this morning that she found herself comfortably pinned again.

Shikamaru was a sprawl sleeper, she had always been on to curl up in a spot and never move from said spot; however, her bed companion was a sprawl sleeper. What this meant was she was usually pinned in some way by Shikamaru when she woke up. Yesterday his legs were pinning her hips in place while his head was over the side of the futon. The day before he had managed to maneuver her to a corner of the futon while using her side as his pillow. Well, you got the idea now. The only good news of his sleeping as a sprawler was that once he had his spot he stayed put, the bad news, she could be pinned down because of this. And for whatever weird reason; she, who was a naturally light sleeper; never seemed to notice his antic until she woke up.

And today she was again his pillow, but his head was on her shoulder as he lay on her. She grumbled a bit as she squirmed to try to escape but he had her thoroughly pinned, his legs had hers' trapped and again she was left under him. Temeri scowled as she squirmed again, she was very uncomfortable right now, he was completely on top of her and she did not get how she had missed this one.

Grumbling she squirmed a bit as she tried to escape when Shikamaru grumbled a bit, she froze then. An idea hit her as she lay there and she maneuvered her hand out from her chest and started poking his ribs, he mumbled something then she squeaked when he curled up and around her; effectively trapping her.

Alright, she thought with a scowl, enough was enough. She had a free hand and she could reach her mouth. Wetting her finger she decided to do something she hadn't done since she had been a child and Kankurō would pass out at his work bench and need waking. Grinning evilly she poked Shikamaru in the ear then, he yelped as he scrambled off of her and she sat up with a stretch as she scrambled to her feet.

"What the hell Temari!?" he said as he shook his head and rubbed the ear she had attacked.

"I am not a pillow, Shikamaru, and I have dips on the bathroom!" she said and then she darted off to the bathroom before he could catch her and claim the bathroom.

Flipping on the shower she was fast to strip and hop in as she tried to calm her body again. She tried to never let it show, but waking up with Shikamaru had her feeling… girlish. Temari was not a woman who liked feeling girlish, she had spent the last twenty years of her life trying to prove herself to be a kunoichi worthy of her family name, to being the sister of the now Kazekage and the younger sister of Kankurō. Temari was not a girly girl.

Thinking this she scrubbed her messy hair and finished her shower then. Once she was done she was fast to dry herself off and then pull on clean garments. Opening the door to the bathroom she found herself looking into the charcoal eyes of Kurostuchi.

"Morning Temari, sleep well?" Kurostuchi's snide tone had Temari's eyes narrowing dangerously on the younger woman.

"What are you insinuating?" she spat out; Temari did not tolerate subtle, never had, and never would. She believed that if someone had something to say it was best to be said in full and bluntly rather than snidely and vindictively like most girls liked.

"Nothing, just that you and the Nara boy seem close, I don't blame you, he's hot," Kurostuchi announced and Temari's lips curled into a vicious smile as she felt a flare of something unpleasant take hold of her as she studied the girl build like a delicate dancer. This was an emotion she often time associated with Ino, not many other girls managed to ignite it in her; however, she could feel it now as she looked over the deceptively delicate girl.

"Kurostuchi, I am his friend, and I am telling you now; he'd eat you alive and spit you out as if you were nothing," she snapped and stalked away from the girl then.

Temari really hated being in such close proximity to the Stone shinobi; she thought them arrogant and stuck up and she didn't like it, however, today she really despised that small delicately built young woman. She wasn't one to be petty, but there were times she was, especially when it came to other girls and Shikamaru for some reason. No, she had no crush on one of her best friends, but she didn't feel all that sisterly or friendish for Shikamaru when other girls showed an interest in him. Sighing she went to her room where Nara was now reading a book on her bed and she scowled at him.

"It's my bed," she reminded him.

"My house," he countered.

"Well, you need to get your lazy ass up, we're good friends and all, but I am not changing in front of you, so leave," she ordered. His lazy brow quirked then and he sat up and left her be. Shaking her head she pulled on her clean garments then and pulled up her ever messy blonde hair up into it's tails before she walked out of the room.

Shikamaru was waiting for her freshly dressed and his hair pulled up again, she wanted to pout because she liked his hair when it was down, but she liked it up as well. They walked together into the kitchen together and she saw Gaara giving her 'we will talk later' and she looked over to the Stone-nin, Kurostuchi was looking exceedingly smug as she was served breakfast and loudly chatted with her teammates.

 _Great_ , was Temari's only thought.

* * *

Shikamaru would never say this but he was kind of taking advantage of Temari these last few days, true he didn't want to be alone, and her company was something he found comforting. However, he enjoyed sleeping with her. Temari found her spot and rather like the felines she reminded him of she'd curl up and sleep in her spot, he had never been like that; he liked his bed all to himself so he could sprawl out on his bed and sleep in his spot. But he really liked having Temari there, so long as he didn't smoosh her; because she had kicked him the first time he had done that; she would let him sleep however he wanted. Lately she was his pillow.

But this morning he hadn't notice how he had ended up on top of her until her wet finger was in his ear which had had him wide awake and in shock as he gaped at her in partial irritation at being woken up so rudely for the first time ever in his life. However, she had only given him a smug grin, stretched and disappeared.

Now he was sitting here with her and her brother and the Stone shinobi enjoying a quiet breakfast; barring the talkative Stone shinobi.

"Ino stopped by yesterday, she was discharged from the hospital," his mom said as she handed him a dish.

"Really?" Temari asked with genuine interest.

"Yes, her and a teammate of Sakura's; Sai?" his mom said uncertainly. Shikamaru scowled; Ino and Sai, he didn't like this idea, Ino had had a huge crush on Sai when she had first met him but now he wasn't too sure. Ino had a habit of being easy to fall for boys, and fall hard and when they broke her he was usually the one with Chōji to patch her up.

"HA!" Temari barked out, he frowned at her and she grinned as she shrugged. "What!? He is the most awkward guy ever, and he's with Ino, this will be entertaining!"

"You need new entertainment," Shikamaru grumbled.

"I agree," Gaara said in a dark tone.

"Please, I don't need new entertainment," she huffed out indignantly.

"Hello?" a voice called out which had heads turning and he saw the Sixth Hokage enter his home then looking around uncertainly.

"Hey Kakashi," Shikamaru greeted only to feel a sharp whack on the head which had him glaring at Temari who glared back just as fiercely.

"It's Hokage," she chided.

"Right… What do you need, _Kakashi_?" he asked and emphasized Kakashi's name just to irritate Temari who scowled then.

"Good morning Hokage, how can we help?" Yoshino asked as she stood.

"Actually, I'm here to borrow Temari and Shikamaru; if that is alright," Kakashi said as he shot him a look that said that this talk was not negotiable.

"Yeah," he shrugged as he stood up with Temari and they both followed Kakashi out of the house.

"Shikamaru, how do you and Temari feel about watching the Uchiha?" Kakashi asked once they were far enough from the house to not be overheard by the Stone shinobi residing there.

"For what?" Shikamaru asked.

"He got his redemption for his sentencing, didn't he?" Temari asked at the same time.

"Yes, and for improvement, mentally. I believe shōgi to be a psychologically revealing game, you can gage how he's improving by that. he's not going to talk to anyone and Sakura's been charged with his care," Kakashi explained to him.

"Yeah, but I've never played shōgi against him so I don't have a base for him," Shikamaru said. He had loved playing shōgi but he had long since learnt how to read people he played, and once he knew how they played he was usually quick to destroy his opponent.

"That's fine, we just need a way to gage what's going on in his head," Kakashi explained to him.

"Yeah, sure," he shrugged.

"Excellent, now Temari, your brother is returning to Suna with your injured and dead, would you mind temporarily staying as a diplomat of Suna to watch out for Sakura. She's planning to train with the Uchiha, I want a long distance fighter around with eyes on her just in case the Uchiha tries to kill her," Kakashi explained.

"Uh… is the Kazekage alright with it?" she asked.

"The Kazekage suggested it," Kakashi explained.

"Then yeah, I'll stay around if I need to, what exactly are you going to need of me?" Temari asked.

"Like I said, I need people to watch out for Sakura," Kakashi said.

"With that monster strength of hers', I wouldn't think she'd need much looking out for," Temari said.

"No, she would," Shikamaru said quickly. Sakura wasn't really 'his' friends but she was best friends of Ino which made her his friend by proxy and he knew enough about her to know Sasuke was perhaps one of the few who could actually kill the pinkette now. Ino talked a lot; trust him, he had the run down on the Sasuke and Sakura drama.

"Really?" Temari asked skeptically.

"Really," Kakashi nodded solemnly.

"Alright, Kakashi, anything else?" he asked.

"Kurostichi of the Stone will be returning in a month to help watch over the Uchiah, same with Chōjūrō of the Mist, Karui and Omoi of the Cloud, and Mifune is sending a samurai to watch over the Uchiha before the end of the month," Kakashi explained.

"Alright," Shikamaru nodded. He had seen this coming because other nations would want proof of the Uchiha rehabilitiating and being capable of finding redemption.

"Thanks," Kakashi sighed in relief.

"Hey, perhaps you should ask the Hyūga clan to watch over them for the time being," Shikamaru suggested thinking of a use of the Byakugan.

"Already asked Hiashi, he's supplied four members of his family to help keep watch," Kakashi said as he walked off without another word.

"This is going to be a long four months, isn't it?" Temari sighed.

"Yeah," he agreed. Mostly because everyone in the village knew of Uchiha Sasuke's sentence now, Naruto had all but announced it to the world in his glee that his best friend wasn't to be executed.

* * *

 **Just a head's up, all of the Until the Day I... Stories are slow to start. Sorry, it just is, but I hope you'll like them as they go.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	7. Part 1: Chapter 7

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 7**

It was today that Gaara would be leaving, he was leaving later than the other Kage because he wanted to talk to her. All he was doing though was telling her about the rundown of the Kage meeting as they walked together. She now knew of Sakura's compromise to keep the Uchiha alive; and she was startled at the extent this girl was willing to go for Sasuke, but she was also learning of the trade agreements, the treaties signed and the after war action reports and village rebuilding plans. Once all that was over though Gaara said something out of the blue after about five minutes of silence.

"Temari, what are you thinking?" Gaara demanded as she walked beside him and she slowed up then in confusion.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked as her hands were planted on her hips and she glared daringly into her brother's pale eyes. Gaara glared back at her balefully then, she didn't like his expression.

"I was informed you have been _**sleeping**_ with Shikamaru," Gaara said flatly.

" _Oh Kami! I am not hearing this! Not from you!_ " she snapped as she whirled around to stalk away from him before she tried to beat her brother over the head; she was not going to beat the Kazekage over the head, however, it was really, really, really tempting to hit her brother over the head. Where was Kankurō when she needed him.

" _Temari!_ " Gaara snapped. "You cannot have relations with the Nara clan. Do not continue having sex with him."

" _ **Sex!?**_ _Are you mad, Gaara_ ; I'm **sleeping** with him, **yes** , _**but only sleep! Sleep**_ , Gaara, sleep _ **, that's all;**_ I am being his friend, I am offering him friendship and comfort, he lost his father, and after losing parents I get how much that hurts! _**I am not having sex with him**_ , and even if I was it _**sure as hell would not be your business!**_ He's your age for Kami's sake, I am not interested in younger guys who are _**the same**_ _**age as my brother!**_ " she shouted as her temper seethed and she started pacing wanting to punch Gaara, but more than that she wanted to take her fan to the thick head of the Tsuchikage's granddaughter's head! Oh that little bitch was going to suffer when Temari got her hands on that little dancer looking girl; her neck was wrung the moment Temari caught that bitch!

"That is not what I was told," Gaara said flatly and she stalked over to stand toe to toe with her little brother as she returned his baleful, unblinking gaze.

"And let me guess, a little pixie fluttered into breakfast this morning to tell you about my arrangement with Shikamaru?" she spat out. "Well, I have news for you Gaara, who I **sleep** with is none of yours, nor Kankurō's business, so long as I am a kunoichi of Suna; and I do not tarnish the family name. But even if I was having relations with Nara, _**which I am not**_ , I would tell you so you didn't have to hear it from blabber mouthed, arrogant, nosy, flirty bitch from the Stone! And why the hell would you believe a word out of her mouth rather than just asking me directly is truly beyond me!"

"Temari, you are not sleeping with Shikamaru?" he asked then.

"NO! I mean, I've offered him my bed for comfort but not my body, and frankly Gaara, it's not your business!" Temari snapped as she stalked away before she did something stupid, like beat him over the head with her fan.

Part of her was not surprised at her naïve little brother's assumption of her having sex with Nara Shikamaru, however; a larger part of her was infuriated that he'd rathter take the word of a clear gossiper; Kurostuchi rather than just ask her directly. Instead he had to embarrass her with how he put it, but was Gaara for you, never tactful. She leaned on a tree when she finally realized where she had walked too and found herself lost in the rebuilding Leaf.

Great.

Temari sighed as she started walking in the general direction she had come from and she tried not to scream out how she didn't love Nara or even like him like that. But that had her actually thinking about it as she walked. Did she love Shikamaru? Or did she not love his lazy ass? Well, he had a terrific ass despite being lazy; there was no point in denying it, even if he was younger than her.

"Hey Temari!" a voice shouted behind her, and she was so startled she froze as she turned to see Sakura then, with overflowing bags in her hands which a girl her size shouldn't be able to lift or carry.

"Oh, hey Sakura," Temari replied as she tried to shake herself of thoughts of an arrogant, knowing smirk on the lips of the boy who was one of her dearest friends.

"I didn't think you'd be back in our village so soon after the war, how are things in Suna?" Sakura asked as they started walking again. Temari frowned, of course Sakura had probably been to bus to know that Temari had returned earlier this week and was staying for the next four months because of her. However, looking at the bruises beneath Sakura's eyes had her saying nothing.

"They're getting back together, slowly, people are still recovering. And I've been assigned to the Leaf as a temporary diplomatic ambassador for the time being. At least, until someone more permanent can take the job," she smiled then.

"Temari, is something wrong? You're not acting like yourself," Sakura said suddenly and Temari felt nervous and twitchy then as she walked with the observant pinkette. There was no way Sakura could or wouldn't know if she was in love with Shikamaru and she wasn't saying anything to the girl.

"No, just been a long few days with the move, and messages, and everything. I'm just tired," she lied.

"If you say so," Sakura said and thankfully she dropped the subject.

"My brother told me about your deal with the Kage and the council, why would you ever make such a deal Sakura?" Temari asked, more out of curiosity than being accusing.

"You know, it wasn't an easy offer to make, however…" the pinkette stopped walking as she looked thoughtfully for a moment and Temari decided to give the girl her full attention. "Have you ever just known something, just felt it down to the marrow of your bones regardless of what everyone else thought?"

"Yes," Temari answered reflexively but it suddenly slammed into her and it was crushing her with that answer. Yes, yes she knew that very feeling and she even knew why she knew this feeling, it was the thought that had just hit her blindside at full force that she hadn't even noticed it until Sakura's question. Temari loved Shikamaru, and now she knew, just knew to the marrow of her bones that she was royally fucked. However, she looked back at the pinkette who didn't react or act out because she too loved someone.

"Well, I know I'm right, I know it down to the marrow of my bones, and even if the entire world thinks I'm wrong, thinks he will never change, I know he's changed, he's just lost and needs help. And even if I'm the only one going to prop him up, kick his ass and shove him back down the right path for him, I'm going to do it to prove to everyone that he's good, he's kind, and he's more than just some criminal for them to execute. And even if he doesn't know it himself, I'm going to make him see that's he's all that and more, because he is," Sakura stated firmly. "That's why I could make the offer, and even if I'm wrong and I have to kill him, I don't regret it. It'd be for the best if he's killed at my hands, and I wouldn't want to live in the world where he isn't so I won't mind dying afterwards. Do you understand that feeling?"

"Actually…" Temari felt herself smile then before answering the girl. "I do. You know what, I believe you're right, Sakura. I believe that he might be different, but you know this is going to be a lot of work."

However, what Sakura didn't know was they were talking about two completely different men.

"Please," Sakura rolled her eyes then as they resumed walking. "I work with Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto and Sai; compared to them, Sasuke's easy," Sakura stated. Temari laughed then.

"You sound awefully confident," she teased.

"Well, aren't you always Miss Confident; even when you're beaten by the laziest genin in the Leaf?" Sakura shot back and Temari felt a rush of heat to her face.

"Yeah," she mused and noticed where she was. She was near the Nara residence and there was a memorial to attend today. "Well, this is my stop, I'll see you around Sakura."

"Later Temari," Sakura said as she walked away the other direction.

Temari sighed, she was royally fucked, and a cradle robber; she was seeing a head shrink to undo this once she got home. However, neither Gaara nor Kankurō would ever know she loved Nara. After all, it wasn't like she was going to marry him or anything!

No, more than likely Gaara and Kankurō would arrange her marriage, because she was the Kazekage's sister and a valuable political tool for her village.

And Nara would never find out about this dirty little secret of hers.

* * *

Shikamaru was waiting for Temari when it started raining and she jogged up to the house then.

"Hey, where were you?" Shikamaru demanded.

"Went for a walk, Gaara get to the gates alright?" she asked as she was quick to make her way through the house. Shikamaru was fast to follow her, though he didn't get the wink Kurostuchi gave him as he followed Temari to her quarters.

"Yeah, he wasn't pleased about you not being there," Shikamaru said as he leaned on the frame of the door, Temari shoved him out though as she slid the door shut.

"Well, if he had wanted me to see him off he shouldn't have been stupid," she snapped. Now he was confused as he heard her shuffling around behind the door. It was yanked open then and she looked at him with expectant green eyes.

"Ready to go," she said, dressed in completely black for the memorial.

"Thank you Temari," he said as he shoved his hands in his pockets and they started walking together out of the house, he noticed the lethal glare she slid Kurostuchi who scowled back at Temari. He was thoroughly confused by girls, women in general, he decided, were troublesome. But with Temari it was unusual for her to be hostile to other girls who weren't threatening to her. He had been her friend long enough to know she probably had some hidden girl reason to be furious with the Stone kunoichi. However, he didn't want to be involved.

"It's not a problem," she said softly.

"It means a lot," he said firmly. He did not want to waver, or break because of the memorial, however, he was wavering and breaking on the inside. He didn't want to attend the ceremony alone, sure his clan would be there, as would the Akimichi and the few remaining Yamanaka clansmen, but he didn't want to stand there and take the vows alone.

Someone who was unwavering in their convictions, someone who was stronger than he was at the moment was who he needed there. And that someone happened to be Temari as they both walked to the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi family graveyard for the ceremony. He was startled to see Ino holding Sai's arm, when he came up the hill. Ino gave him a weak smile and they both walked into the cemetery then. He saw she was breaking, so was he and they both weren't ready for what was to come.

However, neither he nor Ino children playing games.

The war had forced them to step up and be adults, and that meant they were now the perspective heads of their clans. And Ino stood there in the rain standing tall and proud like nothing could hurt her.

He envied her confidence because he didn't know what the hell he was going to do for his clan. But with everyone's eyes on him, he wasn't going to break down and sob like a baby. Even if he wanted to.

Today he'd have to stand tall and proud.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	8. Part 1: Chapter 8

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 8**

The following weeks fell into a routine for her after Gaara left. She found herself on more surveillance missions for the Uchiha than not, and at night there was a nightly game of shōgi with Shikamaru before going to bed.

Part of her was relieved she didn't interact all that much with Shikamaru with her surveillance assignment on the Uchiha; though what Sakura was trying to accomplish she didn't know as she watched over Haruno.

However, there was a larger part of her which was happier to see Shikamaru rebounding to his normal self again. It seemed that grief was a process which he was getting through but also, he seemed to realize on his own that there was work to be done and started getting to it. He didn't need her now, which was alright since she rather liked having her bed all to herself again. But also, he seemed to be planning, making plans, and moving forward much to her relief.

But there was something changed in him, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something different in him now that he was moving forward with his life. She wished she knew what it was, but ever since the day he had returned from Ino's home he had been more withdrawn in a way. All she knew for certain was that there had been a fight between him, Ino, and Chōji about something and it had not been pretty.

He had come home freaking out because he was saying how quiet his mind was, when she had finally gotten him to calm down again he explained. She still didn't understand what would unnerve him so greatly but it had clearly done a number on him. But other than that incident he was alright, or he seemed to be which was why she was here rather than relaxing around somewhere else.

"Head's up, two chakras are closing in and fast," her Hyūga companion said suddenly.

"Who?" she demanded as she pulled her fan then and prepared to intervene. After surveilling Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke for the past three weeks she knew exactly why Sakura had kept everyone at bay where the Uchiha was concerned and she didn't want some horrid accident to happen today.

"Don't know, they're moving fast, prepare for intervention!" the Hyūga ordered as he stood up. She pulled out her fan then and stood at the ready to blast the two coming people back to their village.

"Wait, Akimichi is coming after them," the Hyūga said and she stared at him.

"What!?" she snapped.

"They are the Cloud-nin," the Hyūga stated.

"Yes, and they've just returned, how do we know they aren't going to attack Haruno and Uchiha?" she demanded.

"We're not interfering yes," the Hyūga said firmly. Temari just looked at the practice field she was too far away to make out but near enough to see, and watches as those two came into the field.

* * *

Shikamaru had figured out how to _move forward_ , he had; and he was working on it. But there was something which had freaked him out to the core and after the royal battle he had had with Ino about her going to work in Intelligence, she had done it.

His worst nightmare, and it was something he had never thought about since losing his father.

See, a part of him was always connected to Ino's mind through her jutsu, it was just an absent minded connection which linked him to her and Chōji and always told him they were alright and alive. And it had never been a big deal, never, not in all the years they had had that connection, because it just was for them.

However, it had become something of a lifeline for him after having lost his father in the war, and he hadn't even realized how terrifying it would have been to have the connection severed. See, during the war, during the fights, there had never been any time to process what had happened to them or what they were losing, there was no time to grieve and there was stuff to do. It was important that they keep moving forward and fighting even after losing their friends and family in the fighting.

There was no processing grief, there was only moving forward and going to survive and fight.

But the thing which terrified him, it scared him to his bones now, was having the mental connection with his friend severed and leaving him with nothing. And Ino, had severed their connection, she had shut off her mind and disconnected herself from him and Chōji, and honestly it was freaking him out. His father had been connected to his mind when he had died, Shikamaru had literally felt his father, a man who he considered to also be a friend, fade away, to die, and just cease to exist. It freaked him out. He knew Ino understood this sensation, she'd been connected to her own father's mind and many other's minds during the war, but she was a Yamanaka and as much as he hated to say this, she knew what to expect and was even trained to deal with it. It was her family's secret jutsu after all. But having it happen in his mind was… terrifying.

However, Ino had severed their connection despite this.

And it was not going over in his head all too well as he sat there looking over the diplomatic reports from the Hokage. Part of him kept expecting the odd Ino thought to flitter through their connection, or a Chōji craving to pop into his head, but there was nothing. Nothing there at all, and Ino was avoiding him so he couldn't tell her to knock it off.

Setting his paper down he rubbed his temple then and cleared his mind before he looked over the reports again. There was work to be done, and he would not let Ino know just how much it hurt not having the connections he normally had to her and Chōji.

* * *

Temari was awaiting the overzealous attackers when they were sent off of the Uchiha compound and found herself looking at two Cloud-nin she recognized but couldn't remember their names as she glared at them both.

"We were told the rules," the girl grumbled.

"Good, now take shifts, rest, something, just follow the rules from now on and there will be no problems." Temari firmly believed this after three weeks of following Haruno Sakura around with the Uchiha. She could not believe she had been reduced to a glorified babysitter. This was humiliating but at this point she only had a few more months of it before she was back to being an actual diplomat for her village. Which was something she could look forward to.

Resuming her watch, she made it through the day when she was finally free to return to the Nara compound and she sighed in exhaustion. A yawn was escaping her lips as she stretched up and walked into the compound only to see Shikamaru playing Go against himself and looking agitated. He had stopped sleeping with her a few weeks back, but she didn't think he was sleeping based on the bruises beneath his eyes. She set aside her weapon as she sat across from him and joined the game.

No words were exchanged between her or Shikamaru as they played his game. She was shocked when she won for a change, but he set up the game again and they continued playing it. Something was clearly bothering him and she was tempted to demand to know what it was, but he seemed uneasy since his fight with Ino. Which was why she was not prying, even she knew when to step back and leave a person be. Even if she didn't want to.

"Girls are troublesome," he finally grumbled and she flicked her eyes up to him, he wasn't looking at her as they played the game he was scowling as he made his next move and she countered it. They continued this way for a while in silence when he finally destroyed her which had her studying the board trying to figure out where she had gone wrong. She was good at strategy, she could think five to ten steps before her enemy, but with Nara it was like she was still twenty or thirty steps behind him. Which was slightly baffling to her.

"Night Shikamaru," she said and stood, she was leaving him to his thoughts because he was scowling at his game and the moon was raising. She'd have to get up earlier for her shift of watching the Uchiha and Kami knew it was tiring because they never seemed to stay in one spot long. Sasuke was always going around the Uchiha compound with Sakura and it was exhausting to try to keep up with them so they could counter an attack should he go rogue again.

* * *

Shikamaru finally gave up his game as he stood and walked to his quarters again, part of him was tempted to go to Temari's and seek a moment of peace, but the door was shut on that. He had stopped seeking comfort from Temari because he found he didn't want the comfort anymore, he just wanted to get to normal again. And that meant acting normal again, and keeping up the act until he was normal again. He could do that.

Sitting in his quarters he thought over the treaties, and the diplomatic requests, the requests from the smaller villages asking for help rebuilding, and the people bringing their injured in because of blow back from the war.

The Land of Fire was not in chaos, completely, but it was not completely stable either. There was unrest, and there were reports of radical groups forming which were following the beliefs of Uchiha Madara and seeking to create the Infinate Tsukiyomi. Which was concerning to him from the reports he was reading because they were not ready for a coordinated attack should one happen. But so far the reports were indicating only small groups that were growing in radicalism.

Pulling his hair down he raked his fingers through the mass and sighed.

The fight he had had with Ino was still plaguing his mind as he sat down on his futon and thought about it. He just could not understand how she could want to work for the sadist Mirino Ibiki, especially since she was… well, she was Ino.

Falling back on his futon he just tried to clear his mind to sleep. There was so much to rebuild in this world, it was terrifying. But there was much to improve upon and this was the time to implement those helpers. If people could change after the war, then there was hope for the world. But he wasn't entirely certain how they were going to change.

There was so much pain in the world from the after effects of this war which was scarring the people who had survived and lost. He knew, he was one of the ones who had been horrifically scarred by this war, however, there was hope. He knew there was hope in this world.

There had to be hope for this world for them to change.

Also, there was that knuckleheaded blonde who could help change the world. It was about time the world changed, the only hope was it changed for the better this time.

At least, this was his hope.

The pragmatic person that he was knew there was always going to be unrest and conflict in the world, human beings were not going to see eye to eye on everything; it wasn't possible to see eye to eye on everything. But he had a good feeling about the change to come to this fragile world. And he was going to see to it that he helped the world moved in the right direction.

It was what Asuma and his father would want of this world and what they would hope he'd help with.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	9. Part 1: Chapter 9

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 9**

"And what are you proposing?" the Hokage asked him that morning as he handed over the documents he'd been reading over and the requests for help that were being denied by other villages.

"A temporary diplomatic envoys of shinobi to go to the villages in need of aid to aid them in rebuilding, aiding their injured and ill, and protecting the innocent civilians from the criminals," Shikamaru answered as he puffed his cigarette then and smiled in pride at his idea.

It had slammed into his mind this morning when he had parted ways with Temari and then he had started looking over the documents on the walk to the Hokage's office. It was a good idea and it would show the world that shinobi weren't as self-centered as they thought. Since the Fourth Great Shinobi War, many civilians, both in the Hidden Villages and outside of the Hidden Villages were beginning to grumble about the selfish shinobi who acted without thought as to what that meant to the civilians.

"It's an interesting idea," Kakashi drawled out as he read over the hastily scribbled proposal.

"It will help the world, and perhaps it will help build bridges between the shinobi forces and the civilians; there are a lot more civilians in this world than there are shinobi," he pointed out as he snuffed out the cigarette.

"Write up a formal proposal and present the idea to the elders, then if they take it we'll propose it to the other Hidden Villages and maybe put to rest some of this unrest," Kakashi said as he handed the paper back to ihm.

"Yes Hokage," Shikamaru nodded.

"How are you holding up as the new Nara Clan head?" Kakashi's voice sliced through the silence just as he about reached the door. Looking over to the Hokage he knew there's be no hiding what he was going through at this moment as he turned back towards Kakashi and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I have no idea what I'm doing," he stated flatly. He was also sure that he had severed some bond with Ino because of their fight about Intelligence and now he was in charge of his kinsmen and their well-beings, it was almost too much for him. Almost.

"Being the head of the clan is an important role," Kakashi said understandingly. "If you ever start to feel overwhelmed you can reach out for help."

"I know, it's just… it's my clan, they are my responsibility and I'll take care of it," Shikamaru said quietly as he looked at the Hokage. "I'd worry more about Yamanaka than my clan."

"Actually Ino is handling her clans affairs with ease, or so the Yamanaka elders are saying; she's also spoken with Mirino about her apprenticeship in Intelligence and she is currently caring for Sai," Kakashi said. "I would not underestimate her Shikamaru."

"Troublesome," he grumbled when the door was thrown open crashing into him and smacking his face.

"Lord Hokage! There's an emergency!" it was Temari's voice as he peeked around the door.

* * *

Temari's morning had started out normal for her because she was not expecting a deviance of her routine. She started off with waking, having a shower, taking all the hot water from Kurostuchi (because a small petty part of her liked getting back at the Stone kunoichi in little ways) and eating a quiet breakfast with Yoshino and Shikamaru before walking with Shikamaru to her post to resume her babysitting gig with a Hyūga and to watch over the Uchiha with Haruno and to get through her day. Then she'd come back to the Nara residence play a few rounds of Go with Shikamaru and eat dinner with them before going to bed and resuming all of this again.

However, this morning was different when she had parted ways with a good bye and she had gone to meet up with her Hyūga escort as she walked towards her check point.

"Morning Temari," the Hyūga greeted her in a huff.

"Morning, what's wrong? Is there a fire somewhere?" she asked as the Hyūga started running through the rebuilding village.

"We can't… we lost the Uchiha and Sakura last night sometime last night," the Hyūga huffed.

"What!?" she screamed as she shouted as they ran through the village.

"Do not panic, Sakura wasn't dead in her apartment which means the Uchiha is not alone, the only problem is, is we do not know where he is," the Hyūga huffed as they ran together.

"Where would they go?" Temari demanded.

"That we don't know, and we can't seem to find their chakra signatures either," the Hyūga said as they ran.

"I thought you saw everything!" she snapped.

"Not always," the Hyūga replied and she stopped.

"I have to tell the Hokage!" she stated as she started running towards where the Hokage's office to alert Kakashi to the news that the Uchiha and Sakura were missing. Temari didn't like this as she raced into the office and straight to the door as she threw it open then.

"Lord Hokage!" she shouted as she skidded to a halt in the office which had her looking into the startled eyes of the laid back pervert Kakashi. "There's an emergency!"

"Ow," she looked over her shoulder at the body between the door she had just thrown open and the wall. He scowled at her, but she was more worried about the Uchiha than about Shikamaru's pride.

"What is it Temari?" Kakashi asked.

"The Uchiha is missing," she stated flatly then and that had everything in the room stilling.

"Missing?" Kakashi demanded.

"Yes sir," she replied with a firm nod. "He and Haruno Sakura cannot be found anywhere in the village."

"Get all sensory type ninja; Shikamaru go get Ino, Temari, go with Shikamaru, I will go wake Naruto," Kakashi said.

"Yes sir," Temari nodded and then looked to Shikamaru who had sobered up fast enough at her words and the new orders. "Come on, let's go," she ordered.

"Troublesome," he grumbled. She ignored his claim as they ran out of the office.

* * *

Shikamaru ran straight to Ino's, he didn't want to go there to talk to her when she was being unreasonable but he had a feeling that she'd do this for Sakura. After all, despite their rivalry they were best friends; even he knew that with his mental link to Ino severed.

"How did the watch lose them?" Shikamaru asked.

"I didn't ask the details, they assured me Sakura's not dead; or at least, her body wasn't in her apartment," Temari said as she slid under a crane and to her feet again as she ran beside him. He hopped up a fence that was in the way and ran on it.

"That seems like a stupid move, even for Sasuke, she's his ticket to freedom," Shikamaru huffed as he landed beside Temari again.

"I don't know, he usually seems ready to strangle her and she seems ready to kick his ass," Temari replied and he guessed she'd know best since it was her temporary job to watch the Uchiha while she was here.

"Even then this wouldn't make any sense," he grumbled. Why did the Uchiha have to be so damn troublesome!? Just once it'd be nice if Sasuke would just do what everyone wanted of him, just once. It'd also make life in this village easier. They ran up to the Yamanaka compound and he pounded on the door.

"Ino! I know you're in there, open up!" he shouted.

"Go away Shikamaru," was the pert answer which told him he was still on her shit list.

"Ino, Sasuke's missing," he snapped, the door slid open slightly as her pupil-less blue eyes glared at him. "So Sakura," he huffed out.

"Oh, so _**now**_ I'm useful," she hissed. He scowled.

" _ **Damn it Ino!**_ This isn't the time!" he snapped as he was tempted to barge in there and yell at her.

"For Forehead I'll help you out, but you can wait outside. Temari, would you like some breakfast, I'm making some for Sai and I," Ino pointedly ignored him as she looked to Temari.

"Can you find the Uchiha first and Sakura as well, and then I'll join you for breakfast." Temari.

"Well, you might as well come in then, you supervise because Sai can't cook and I'll find Forehead and Sasuke," Ino said as she opened the door. Temari walked in and he moved to follow only for the door to be slammed in his face.

He rubbed his face and scowled at the door as he then pulled another cigarette as he sat on her porch and impatiently waited for Temari to come out and tell him where the Uchiha and Sakura were. He was also going to have a serious talk with Ino so she'd come to see reasoning after today. But the first matter at hand was finding the Uchiha, then he'd write up his proposal, and there were the other treaties to look over. Once all this was accomplished then he'd sit Ino down and get her to see reason for what he had said.

* * *

Temari found Sai at the table reading something, and Ino handed her the spatula.

"Just turn them over and I'll focus on finding Sakura," Ino said as she walked off. Temari just awkwardly stood there in the kitchen and wondered just what had happened between Ino and Shikamaru, she didn't think the blonde had ever been this angry with her teammate.

Flipping the omelets, she looked over to Sai who was still as a statue aside from his breathing and the turning of the pages in his book.

"Good morning Temari," Sai said suddenly which caused her to jump. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Oh, I just… never mind," she shook her head and again she flipped the omelets and decided to serve them up. She put a plate before Sai as she sat at the head of the table to eat hers.

"So what has happened to Ugly and the traitor?" Sai asked her as he ate clumsily.

"They're missing," she answered as she finished her omelet in a few bites.

"Ah, well, Ugly will be alright, she is indestructible," Sai said, more to himself than to her which had her raising her brows.

"You call Sakura 'Ugly'?" she asked.

"Nicknames build a sense of comradery between teammates, and builds bonds," he explained to her in a matter-of-fact tone. Temari shrugged, he was weird, but if Sakura hadn't killed him for the nickname yet then there was no reason to worry. None whatsoever. Mostly because Sakura would have killed him already if she was bothered by the nickname.

"I know where she is," Ino said as she walked in again.

"That's great; where are they?" Temari demanded.

"Where do you need them to be?" Ino asked.

"Let me ask Shikamaru," Temari replied as she stood up, Ino just picked up the empty plates and walked to her kitchen as Temari walked out of the house to where Shikamaru was smoking on the porch.

"Where do you want to meet up with Sasuke and Sakura?" she asked.

"It might as well be the hospital, his evaluation is coming up soon enough," Shikamaru grumbled. Ino walked out with Sai beside her on the crutches.

"Where do you want them _**Temari**_?" Ino said pointedly as she glared at Shikamaru.

"Uh… the hospital?" she guessed and looked to Shikamaru who nodded. "Uchiha has an evaluation," she further explained.

"Very well," Ino said as she sauntered off the steps of her home with Sai quickly following her and Shikamaru scowled after them.

"Troublesome," he grumbled, and Temari folded her arms as she glared at him.

"What did you do to piss her off?" Temari demanded sharply which earned her a glare from him as he got to his feet and snuffed out the cigarette.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself," he said sharply which had her eyes narrowing.

"She's one of your best friends Nara, you had better fix it," she huffed out and then she ran after Ino and Sai to find out where the Uchiha and Sakura were.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	10. Part 1: Chapter 10

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 10**

Shikamaru hadn't really intended to do the evaluation of the Uchiha today, but after this morning's little disappearance act he felt it was now for the best to do the evaluation. It had been a month since the Kage meeting, and month since Sakura won and had Sasuke released into her temporary custody. And now was as good of time as any to see if the Uchiha was rebounding at all; Shikamaru knew rebounding and picking oneself up after loss was difficult; but he was doing it too and slowly he was getting himself back. He wanted to know if Sasuke was doing the same.

Which was why he was now sitting across from a clearly agitated Uchiha who's black eyes were scanning the room as if looking for the fastest escape routes. Shikamaru knew that if the Uchiha were to try to leave that there would be no stopping him, the man just looked determined at this moment as he looked around the room.

"Let's play a game of shōgi," Shikamaru proposed after about ten minutes of silence. The Uchiha's dark eyes seemed to be assessing him but he didn't care as he stood up and retrieved the game. They were silent in setting it up, for a change, Shikamaru was finding he hated the silence but Sasuke didn't seem inclined to talk to anyone.

Sasuke suddenly winced as if he had just received a stabbing pain in his temple as he rubbed it which had Shikamaru carefully assessing him. According to Temari from all her time watching Sasuke he seemed to have the moments were 'he wasn't all there', he was guessing this to be one of those moments right now. Sasuke hissed, as he shut his eyes and rubbed his head, and Shikamaru made a mental note to tell Kakashi about this, but he wasn't saying anything now because he had been told these moments had mixed reactions.

After another five minutes of this when Sasuke seemed to be calming down Shikamaru decided to try to draw Sasuke's attention back to the present.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Sasuke's dark eyes looked around the room but he nodded.

So Shikamaru made the opening move and Sasuke was quick to counter the move. It was a harder game than Shikamaru had ever expected and aside from when he played with his father he had never been this challenged. It brought up twinges of competitiveness and sadness to him as he analyzed every move Sasuke made and every counter attack. The game was good at revealing the 'how' of how people thought and moved and planned and Shikamaru found he was fascinated with how Sasuke was playing this game.

It took four hours but finally there were no more moves for him to counter as Sasuke sat there the victor of this match. Shikamaru was actually looking forward to the next rematch, but he looked up to see Sasuke sitting there twitchy and looking eager to leap out a window to get out of the room.

"Relax Uchiha," he said which had Sasuke's wandering eyes snapping onto him and narrowing dangerously on him. "You pass," Shikamaru informed him. Sasuke was quick to go to the door and leave, leaving Shikamaru staring at the game board in amusement as he then packed it up and walked out of the room.

Temari was leaning on the wall watching the Uchiha as he retreated through the hospital.

"How'd it go?" Temari asked when they started walking together.

"Interesting, he's quieter," Shikamaru admitted.

"He seems… jumpy," Temari observed as the Uchiha disappeared down the stairs and Shikamaru shrugged. Sasuke was jumpier but he didn't know entirely what that meant.

"I have a report to go write and give to the Hokage and a proposal," he said briskly.

"See you tonight then," Temari waved him off as she walked off and he pulled a cigarette again and slipped it between his lips as he walked out of the hospital and lit it.

Playing that game of shōgi had brought back a lot of the good memories he had of Asuma and his father, and it had dredged up the pain of those losses. However, it didn't hurt so much today, he pulled a lighter once outside and lit his cigarette. It had actually… it had felt good to remember them, at least that's how he would describe it. It had felt good to remember his father and his mentor, and though it had hurt it hadn't hurt, it was a little confusing to him but he liked it as he walked through the village.

He saw Ino at the Yamanaka lot with Sai and a foreman, he was tempted to go over to her but he saw the way the Root member watched him and decided against it. Ino would come to him when she came to her senses and saw that he was right, she wasn't cut out to be in the Torture and Interrogation Unit; even if it was renamed Intelligence; she was just… well, she was Ino. And Ino did not belong in a place where torture was their specialty.

Once she saw that he was right, because she would; she'd come back to him and Chōji and apologize.

Shikamaru made it to his temporary office as the village was still being rebuilt; now that homes and stuff were rebuilt they were focusing on businesses and the Hospital; Kakasih had insisted Hokage Tower be the last thing rebuilt because everyone else needed something built.

Sitting at his desk he wrote up his analysts of Sasuke and his progress. It was crude, but it was the truth of his analysts. Then he started writing up his diplomatic proposal to help strengthen the relationships between the shinobi and civilian worlds. It was important to him that the world healed up and it healed right this time, he had hopes that there'd be no Fifth Great Shinobi War, for the kings of the villages never need witness those horrors.

* * *

Temari made it through her shift and was now walking the rebuilding market of the Leaf to collect items for dinner. She was dying to have some Kenchin soup but knew there weren't the ingredients at the Nara home to make it which was why she was here in the market place this evening rather than at the Nara home.

Enjoying her time to look around the market place she accidentally found herself at the vacant lot where she knew the flower shop had once stood and saw Ino with Sai as she eagerly pointed around.

"Hey Temari!" Ino waved in glee once she noticed her and Temari walked towards Ino. Temari had long since considered Ino a true friend, if a bit odd at times, but Ino was of the few Leaf citizens to actually welcome her. Part of this was probably because of Shikamaru, but still, despite her tiny jealousy of the gorgeous blonde she did like Ino.

"Hello Ino," Temari greeted.

"I was just telling Sai what I was planning to do with my family's flower shop again!" Ino said gleefully. It was the false sort of cheer though, Temari could see the pain in Ino's eyes as she smiled brightly.

"Uh-huh," Temari nodded.

"Alright, I'm going to build the largest greenhouse ever both in the back again and on the roof; I want to expand the shop to about there," Ino pointed. "And I want to set up a back room work shop, I intend to expand from flowers and exotic plants to the poisons, a few fruits and vegetables and herbs; seasoning as wells as medicinal too, and I want to make the place three stories high with the roof being my rooftop greenhouse, I want the balconies again, but I'm also thinking of putting up tenants, you know shinobi in need of a good apartment or something; probably more of my kinsmen so they too can work in the shop, but you never know. I intend to have a basement for storage again, and I want a new set of coolers lining the back wall for the flower displays, I'm also thinking of posting a sign as to what the colors mean and the type of flower means, you know so the bouquets can have meaning again!"

"Well," Temari looked around the blank lot then and thought it over. "It sounds like you have a plan Ino."

"I know! I'm so excited!" Ino grinned, but Temari knew that wasn't all there was going on in the girl's head.

"I hope it works out for you," Temari replied with a slight smile; though it was probably more of a smirk as she tried to see what the blonde was seeing.

"It will, Forehead's parents sent me the architech they used because they're happy with him and he said he could do it all!" Ino grinned in delighted.

"That's good, I've got to get going; another early shift tomorrow, but this is turning out well Ino," Temari said.

"See you later Temari!" Ino waved, Sai nodded and then Ino was back to chatting him up in her glee. Temari was partially tempted to go back to Ino and to demand to know what had her at odds with Shikamaru because it was ripping him up but she didn't, she wasn't going to interfere when this was clearly a war being waged between friends who were as close as siblings. She had a feeling that this was going to hurt them all before there was a reconciling between them. They'd get back to being friends again, she didn't doubt that because they were just too close not to make up, but right now they were at war against each other.

Temari walked into the Nara compound, she blatantly ignored Kurostuchi as she walked to the kitchen and saw Yoshino fixing up a dinner for the Stone shinobi sitting at the table.

"Evening," Temari greeted as she set her bags on the counter and started pulling out the ingredients for her soup and Yoshino smiled at her. "How are you doing today?"

"Oh, you know," the Nara matriarch sighed. "One day at a time."

"Well, I think Shikamaru finally lost at his game of shōgi today," Temari mused which had yoshino laughing weakly.

"And why do you say that?" Yoshino asked.

"He looked like he was going to smoke a pack of cigarettes when he came out of the room," she admitted which had his mother laughing as she set the knife down. Temari considered her task of making Yoshino feel a little better done for the day. She'd try to get the older woman to laugh again tomorrow.

"He never lost a game unless he was playing his father," Yoshino said softly which had Temari's smirk disappearing.

"I was under the impression he didn't lose often," Temari admitted.

"No, he was good at winning," Yoshino admitted. "What are you making?"

"Kechin soup, I've been wanting it since I came here," Temari admitted.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, this is sort of my comfort food," she admitted as she remembered all the times she ate it when everything was going wrong in her life. It was something which always made her feel better and she liked that as she went about preparing it.

"That's always nice to have," Yoshino admitted as they worked in silence. Yoshino was done first and served the Stone shinobi first and Temari silently finished cooking herself up a bowl of the soup and then she quietly remained in the kitchen as she ate. She didn't want to deal with Kurostichi right now as she ate her food. The soup warmed her soul as she stood there in the kitchen, it felt good again. Looking at the clock she figured she had better write a report of Gaara and send it on it's way, then it was off to bed for her because she'd have a long day tomorrow; it was to be another early day after all.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	11. Part 1: Chapter 11

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 11**

Shikamaru focused on his diplomatic outreach proposal because he wanted to help the civilian villages decimated by the war. He knew there was a lot of rebuilding to do, and he had hopes that if; by helping; the civilian population affected by the Fourth Great Shinobi War then they could perhaps mend a lot of the bridges between civilian and shinobi people.

Even though shinobi were on good terms with civilians, for the most part; he knew that they weren't always on amical terms. Shinobi were something to fear and revere sadly, and it created a lot of mistrust between the two groups. Shikamaru had hopes that with this program of his that he could possibly eliminate most of that tension. It wasn't all going to be eliminated, shinobi were shinobi and civilians were civilians but he had hopes to rebuild the world better than when the war had started. He wanted the world Mirai to grow up in a better world, a world her father would have been proud of.

Looking over his proposal he sighed as he crumpled this one up too and pitched it as he continued working on his outreach idea.

"Shikamaru?" he heard a voice as he looked up from what he was working on and saw Temari poke her head in then.

"Huh?" he grunted as he rubbed his tired eyes and she walked in as she leaned over to pick up a crumpled paper.

"Diplomatic outreach?" she asked as she read and sat across from him then.

"Yeah," he sighed.

"It's a good idea, but you do know the civilians will need medical aid, food, rebuilding help, and order because of the bandits. I see you're bringing up that they need rebuilding help, but they need more than just that," she said as she read over the paper.

"I know, I know they need more, but how far do the shinobi get involved with civilians until we're intruding? The civilians are not a part of the shinobi population, and they take care of themselves, but it was our war that broke their lives, so how far do we get involved before we're intruding or they think we're taking over them?" he asked.

This was a concern for him, he didn't want to further damage relations with civilians by making the civilians feel threatened and like they were being invaded by shinobi forces who wanted to take over their villages. It was something he had been thinking about a lot lately, he wanted to help, but he didn't want the shinobi to come off as another set of invaders.

"Use the genin," Temari suggested.

"Huh?"

"Use the children, the genin, use the children learning to be shinobi to go with outreach groups, genin are more willing to learn and are easier to influence and by having them in these groups the outreach program looks like they're to help, the genin learn to respect civilians and civilians learn to respect shinobi children for the work they do," Temari explained.

"They're kids Temari," he argued. "Most of the genin today are barely out of the Academy," he pointed out flatly.

"Yes, and do you realize how many of the orphans in civilian villages are of the same age, by putting the genin in these groups you're now reaching out to more than just the older groups of civilians but you're also reaching out to the children, and genin are shinobi too. They are old enough to be out of the Academy so they should be old enough to have real missions and to start learning about the real world, also, genin aren't as threatening in appearance as a jonin or chūnin, they are relatively innocent and will be able to bond with the civilian children and perhaps even the elders," she argued.

Shikamaru leaned back as he pondered this.

On one hand almost all the genin fresh out of the Academy or a few years out, they had been relatively untouched by war because the genin had not been brought to the battle field but left in the villages to defend the villages. But on the other hand, they were still children, they were vulnerable and young and impressionable. Seeing the horrors of what the war had done to people might be too scaring for them. He didn't want the young minds of the shinobi forces to be poisoned by the horrors they were exposed to in a post war world.

"They are still children Temari, exposing them to what it is to be a shinobi when they have just begun to learn the basics. And it's our job as shinobi to protect the children," Shikamaru pointed out. "After all they are the next shinobi, the next guardians of our ways of life, and to expose them to the worst of what shinobi do right now…" he shook his head. "I don't see how that's a good idea for them as growing shinobi."

"They are not children anymore though, Shikamaru," Temari stated flatly. "They became shinobi the moment they exited the Academy and became genin, and they will be exposed to all of this either way. Perhaps by exposing them to the world as it is now will help them see how they can rebuild it and make it better in their own way. This is their world now too, they will be learning all about the War either way, at least this way we might be able to positively influence the civilians as seeing us as something other than harden warriors, and the genin will see how they impact the world."

"That is true," he agreed with a nod. "But there's also the psychological side to think of by using genin in the diplomatic outreach program. While on one hand they do not appear as threatening or as dangerous as a jonin or a chūnin, they are shinobi in training and they will one day be chūnin and jonin, and having civilians see them as genin will later damage relations with them when later these genin are no longer genin but harden shinobi. While I think it's a good idea to have genin involved, I think it's damaging also. But on the other hand are your arguments, and I think those, while valid need to be considered in the long term as well, Temari.

"I'm not looking ten years down the road or twenty; though those are to be considered too, I'm trying to change how civilians see shinobi for a hundred years down the road. I want the world to see us as people too, just as I want shinobi to see civilians as people too; we've been separated for too long really and its time to mend those bridges," he said evenly.

* * *

Temari leaned back as she thought about what he said.

He was right, civilians and shinobi were two separate worlds really and if the world wanted to change they would have to change the civilians' perspective on shinobi and the shinobi's perspective on civilians. It wasn't going to be easy, but she was certain that if genin were involved that would help. It was hard to make a jonin look like a friend when jonin were usually in the elite class of shinobi and very threatening to look at. Even if they looked like her or Shikamaru most of the time.

But she while she did not always look threatening she knew there was something about her which had civilians shying away from her and hurrying into a relatively safe spot instead of chatting with her. But she had a feeling that was more of human nature; the animal instincts in people telling them if they were prey or predator and most shinobi fell into the 'predator' category for humans. That wasn't bad, but for the most part civilians were in the 'prey' category and that made the tension between civilians and shinobi high. Shinobi because they weren't welcomed, and civilians because they were terrified of shinobi.

"Yes, you want to change how civilians view shinobi and how shinobi view civilians, I understand that desire.

"But Shikamaru, sending only jonin and chūnin will definitely look like you're invading to take over the civilian world. Even if you send them medics and builders with the jonin and chūnin. Also, it won't change how the civilians view us, and face it; it won't change how we feel about civilians. Jonin and chūnin are already set in mindset and views for the most part and it takes a lot to change their views.

"But sending genin will change how the civilians see us and how we will see civilians," she said. "Also, genin aren't threatening, not in appearance or abilities really, they are still learning, and civilians will see that. It might help with our relations with the civilian population. They will be more influenced with genin than jonin or chūnin; because even our medics look lethal, just look at Haruno Sakura, does she look like she's going to help you or crush you?"

"That's not a fair comparison," he argued.

"No? alright, what about Ino, does she look like she's going to heal you or possess you? Or Naruto, or Hinata, or me, or you, or Gaara, or Kankurō? We're all threatening; and not just in appearance, Shikamaru, we are shinobi, and we are trained killers, lethal weapons, and even civilians will see that," she pointed out flatly. "We are not people civilians will relate to, we are not people to civilians, we are threats. Even if we send diplomatic outreach we're a threat, genin are children between the ages of eleven to fifteen, they do not look threatening, they do not look like they will anhiliate a civilian, and they actually are kind because they haven't hardened completely in living the life of a shinobi just yet.

"Diplomatic outreach is a good idea, I just don't think it will work unless you look at this from the civilian's point of view and think about what they see with us," she pointed out.

He sighed.

She nearly grinned in triumph, knowing she nearly had him seeing it her way. But that was the thing with Shikamaru, he was great at seeing ten, twenty or thirty moves ahead of everyone else but seeing in the now and how to make moves sometimes wasn't his best ability. Which was why she was trying to point out that civilians weren't going to see an outreach envoy comprised of jonin and chūnin as help, they were going to see an invasion after a war. However, in incorporating genin she was certain that it would work better.

"So, you think genin will be of use in diplomatic outreach," he finally said as he seemed to be thinking this over.

"I know it will help," she countered.

"Alright, alright, lets' say I incorporate it, how do you propose the genin work, they are still shinobi in training so they are not a real threat, yet, how will the civilians remain on good terms with these genin when they grow up into chūnin and jonin?" he challenged.

"Hopefully relations will already be established, and will be able to continue in friendly way, and those grown genin will take their own genin with them into villages to continue showing how the world is changing. We're starting a cycle here, Shikamaru, you want civilians to see shinobi as people and shinobi to see civilians as something other than useless, this is how we start. We change the cycle, and by the time we're grandparents the world will be seeing both shinobi and civilians as people," Temari explained.

"Or they will continue to see each other as mortal enemies," Shikamaru replied grimly.

"Not if we change the cycle slowly, not immediately," Temari said. "The world is not going to change immediately, right now it's picking itself up and we're rebuilding. Let's change it while its working on rebuilding so we can rebuild it better."

Shikamaru looked at her with startled eyes and she looked at the paper. He looked like she had said something that had struck a note in him and she hoped he was seeing how this cycle would have to be broken slowly if they wanted to change the world.

* * *

 **Alright, I'm going to be honest with you and say the letter before was not a lie, but rather I'm not always in a happy mood to write the other stories; because face it, most of them are pretty fluffy and light. Which means that I will occasionally grace one of five UtDI... Stories with a chapter. But don't get your hopes up that this will be regular until September.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	12. Part 1: Chapter 12

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 12**

He had spent hours pouring over diplomatic documents, reading treaties and formal arrangements, and studying everything there was to know about diplomacy, and after an agonizing week of writing, of thinking, and of consulting Temari and the Hokage, he felt he had a very good proposal.

A diplomatic outreach program which incorporated genin, medics, and shinobi help to rebuild villages; but also it would use the civilians of the Leaf. He had consulted civilians of the Leaf for ideas on help, it turned out that the Harunos were of the most use; surprisingly. Once one got accustomed to their exuberant company he found them to just be a well of ideas for how civilians could help with his diplomatic outreach idea; which was something he hadn't expected.

In fact, when he had tried to talk to Ino; only to receive a door slammed in his face upon opening, he had been told by Sai that Sakura's civilian parents might be of some help to him. Which had led him to Sakura's apartment only for her to say that her parents would be happy to help, and then he had been handed the address to the Haruno Bakery. After three days of chatting up the Haruno family he had come to the conclusion civilians would be needed for his idea, it would help. The Haruno family had volunteered their already charitable bakery to help him out, they would also talk with other civilian shop owners; like the Teuchi or the dango shop owners to see if they'd offer help in this outreach program.

And today he walked to Kakashi's office with the papers he had drafted in hand with his idea.

Shikamaru was not really shy about sharing his ideas when they were full of strategy, but he found himself nervous to hand over these documents. Not that it would matter as he walked right into the Hokage office to see Kakashi at his desk. Kakahsi was a fair judge of ideas and wouldn't rip it apart, and would probably see it's usefulness.

"Shikamaru," Kakashi looked up from his papers then. "What can I do for you?"

"Hokage, I have a proposal here which might help the civilian and shinobi relations and world healing," Shikamaru said as he handed the papers over to the Sixth Hokage. It was strange having two active Hokage working together at this point in time, but he had it figured out. Tsunade and Kakahsi were scrambling to fix up their already destroyed village and were under a time crunch to present a strong front to the world. And though this was the first time in the history of the Leaf where there were two acknowledged reining Hokage, it was happening and it seemed to be building up their village; even if it was confusing the hell out of everyone.

"This is looking really good, Shikamaru, Shikaku would be proud of this, I'll run it by the council to get it approved and then we'll begin work on it," Kakashi said.

"Thank you Kakashi," Shikamaru replied tersely.

"Thank you Shikamaru, just one question though; how would you feel being involved in your own outreach program?"

* * *

Temari had been bored on her babysitting job, but she understood why this was important, she did. Gaara had put his honor on the line for the Uchiha, Sakura had put her life up on the line, the Sixth Hokage had also put his reputation on the line, and Naruto had preached religiously about how the Uchiha had changed. There were other parties who had fought for the Uchiha, she wasn't so naïve as to believe that only four reputable shinobi putting their names and reputations behind the Uchiha to back his redemption was enough to change the minds of people like the Raikage.

However, here she was, babysitting the Uchiha with a guard from the Stone, the Cloud, and the Mist even, the Hyūga clan guards were here, and it was all to make certain the Uchiha didn't go nuts and go on a killing rampage. And after having dealt with Madara she didn't blame the world for their panic or their fear of the Uchiha.

But it was beginning to irk her that people treated him like a savage, rabid, wild animal rather than like a person. Only his few remaining friends treated him like a person, and it infuriated her. She had seen how this treatment had affected Gaara first hand and knew that when the Uchiha finally snapped and lashed out, it wasn't going to be pretty.

Her Hyūga escort suddenly had his eyes pulsing.

"What is it?" Temari demanded anxiously, Sakura had been taking the Uchiha through the market the last she had checked.

"The Cloud kunoichi has attacked the Uchiha," the Hyūga answered her, she was running the rooftops then, she pulled her fan and saw the riot unfolding, she watched as the Uchiha scrambled over Sakura who appeared to knock out. Temari didn't think as she pulled her fan, there was a scream and she saw the glowing purple just as she unleashed a wind attack which knocked the crowd back.

"What is the matter with you!?" she roared as she held her fan back ready to blast these civilians back again. Diplomacy be damned, she would not stand back as a war hero was attacked by his own village; despite whatever he had done before he had become a war hero, he was one of the reasons that these villagers were even alive.

"That's the traitor!" a civilian man shouted at her, she saw the Uchiha out of the corner of her eye and saw Karui who seemed stunned.

"That's a war hero, he is one of the reasons we're not all trapped in an Infinite Tsukiyomi! Now leave before you pick a fight with someone who will strike back." She ordered harshly, the villagers were quick to disperse which had her folding her fan as she hurried over to the Uchiha who was holding Sakura and she hit the purple chakra he had enshrouding himself and the pinkette.

"Uchiha!" she shouted, he pulled away from her voice which had her looking at him, he looked like a cornered feral animal, slowly she crouched down to his level; like she had on occasion when dealing with Gaara before he had lost all sense of humanity.

"Uchiha, retract the armor," she ordered. She glared at Karui who grabbed her blade threateningly again, and the redhead froze. Temari noticed the red staining the side of the pinkette's head. "Sakura needs medical help, let us help her," she continued softly, the armor faded.

She held up a hand when Karui moved to strike as she reached forward to examine Sakura. Sasuke pulled away from her, he pulled Sakura with him and Karui took a step towards them with her blade raised.

"Swing that Karui and I will blast you out of this village, tie you up and leave you for Sakura to deal with," Temari warned seriously which had the gold eyed woman faltering in her step then. Temari turned her attention on the Uchiha then, he was pressed against the wall and holding Sakura tightly. Carefully she approached again, keeping low and to his level with an eye on the Cloud kunoichi. Reaching for Sakura again, Sasuke shifted her out of her reach and glared at her with threatening red eyes.

"It's alright, Uchiha, I'm here to help her," Temari assured him.

He grunted, she took that as consent as she again reached for the pinkette moving the bloodied hair she winced at the sight. It was bad, Sakura was going to need a hospital.

"Stop standing there, Karu, Go to the hospital and get Tsunade," Temari snapped. Sasuke pulled Sakura out of her grasp then, and she looked up at teary young man who made her think of her little brother. It was shocking to her because Sasuke looked nor acted, anything like Gaara, but there was a look in his eyes which made her think of Gaara and made her want to help him.

"Can I see her?" she asked gently.

He shook his head and moved away from her again. Temari watched him as he held Sakura tightly and sighed. She was going to have to treat him like a child, she didn't like the notion because she didn't really know how to deal with children either.

"Sasuke?" she reached to see Sakura's head again. He glared at her. "I'm not going to take her," she assured him. "But I need to see how badly she's hurt," Temari explained. He relaxed a little and she again reached for Sakura.

Feet came running then, Sasuke snarled as he pulled away from her and Tsunade was there then and dealing with the Uchiha and Sakura. Temari was up as she grabbed the Cloud kunoichi's arm.

"You're coming with me," Temari snarled.

"What!?" Karui yelped, and despite the struggle Temari held her with a bruising grip as she dragged the woman with her.

* * *

It had been three hours after Kakashi had proposed his idea to the council and left for the hospital that Shikamaru found himself sitting in the council's meeting room and glaring at the three elders.

"Rejected?" he question.

"Yes Nara, your proposal is rejected," the elder stated coldly which had him folding his arms and glaring at the three old members of the village as he craved a cigarette then.

"And why is it reject?" he demanded coldly. "Both Hokage have been all for the idea, Suna and even the Stone are interested in a diplomatic outreach program towards the civilians affected by the war so why is this rejected?"

"It does not serve the interests of our village," the old woman said in her pert voice and condescending tone which had his eye brow twitching slightly in irritation at her superiority and stupidity.

"This program was not designed to benefit the village, but rather the world," Shikamaru argued coldly as he looked at the two men and the woman in the room. "This is the time for change, for making a difference and helping clean up the world after having destroyed it in our selfish war. It may not directly benefit this village, or any of the other shinobi villages, but it will make a difference in the world."

"We know that, but there is no profit here, you are offering charity to civilian villages rather than making profits to help our village rebuild, also, we are not sending genin out of the village," the second man spoke.

"Damn it! Don't you see this will help our village in the long run!" he shouted then as he glared at three greedy council members. Now it was a wonder to him how anything in this fucking village got done, he had never had to deal with such narrow minded, greedy, self-serving assholes in his life!

"We are shinobi, we make profits, we do not do charity jobs here," the woman spoke. "This will be of no profit to our village and a waste of valuable resources. We will not waste our resources when we are rebuilding our village."

"You selfish fools," he snapped which had all three of them gaping at him. "The only way to make a profit is if we establish connections with the civilians again. In case you didn't notice there was a war that united the shinobi front and ripped apart the civilian world with our fight. To assume that we will be having jobs after the war we had is preposterous! And what will you do when the shinobi revenue dries up because civilians would rather deal with their problems on their own rather than trust us!? We need to make an outreach program to show the civilians we are there for them, don't you see that?"

"Nara, the proposal is rejected, we will not be running a charity just to appease you," the eldest council member snapped. He clenched his teeth as his hands fisted tightly, then he snatched his proposal up and stalked out of the room before he said or did something he couldn't take back.

Those troublesome fools.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	13. Part 1: Chapter 13

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 13**

Temari hauled the redhead off with her before the Cloud kunoichi could create another incident and somehow get someone killed. Finally, they were far enough away as Temari yanked the younger girl in front of her and snatched the sword away from the fiery redhead.

"What the hell were you thinking!? You could have gotten the civilians killed, you might have killed Sakura, and you could have gotten the Uchiha killed!" Temari snapped to the younger woman.

"He deserves to die!' Karui spat back as her hackles rose. Temari felt her own temper flare but she fought to keep it calm. She was a diplomat for Suna. It would not do for her to lose her temper and rip into the young Cloud kunoichi. Though the thought was extremely appealing to her as she stood there very still trying to calm her mind and think rationally. "He's a traitor, and a killer, and murderer, also he worked for Orochimaru and was a member of the Akatsuki. He's no war hero and he deserves to die."

"And what about Sakura?" Temari asked icily as she glared at the gold eyed girl. "What about Haruno Sakura? or those civilians who were likely to be attacked in retaliation from the Uchiha's attack? Or you? What would have happened if you had killed a civilian rather than the Uchiha in the process? Did you even think about the consequences of this little escapade of yours'?

"You are a diplomat sent here from the Cloud! You are representing your entire village and you didn't even think about that when you attacked Sasuke and Sakura, did you? Now, whatever might or might not have been happening there will only be viewed as your fault because you couldn't think like a diplomat and only thought like a vengeful kunoichi."

Karui opened her mouth but Temari held up her hand then.

"No, whatever you are about to say, no. You will be listening now, for the past month and a half I have received multiple complaints from other diplomats here that you are a problem," Temari lied. It was only really herself and Sakura who seemed to think of Karui as a problem, but she was making her point here. "And as of today you are off the charge of watching the Uchiha. You will go to the Akimichi compound and stay there as I make a formal inquiry about this, because the Hokage is going to want to know exactly what happened to his former student, Haruno Sakura, and when I am done making my inquiry I will have you formally apologize to the Leaf for starting this riot and then you will return to the Cloud and stay away from the Uchiha."

"You can't decide that," the younger girl just spat out. "Besides, you can't kick me out of the Leaf, you're not a Leaf shinobi."

"No, you're right, I'm not a Leaf shinobi, I'm a kunoichi of Suna, however, I report directly to the Hokage and this diplomatic envoy is under my control, and I have the decision to send someone home or keep them here. I will inform the Cloud to send me another diplomat, and if I so much as see you sneeze in the general direction of the Uchiha I will not hesitate to blast you to the Cloud, now leave."

The redhead snatched her blade before reluctantly running off and Temari rubbed her brow then as she hefted up her fan. She ran to the hospital to find out the condition of the pinkette before having to make her decision on what to do with Karui. She also wanted to know what had happened.

Arriving at the hospital she walked in to hear the world's savior shouting.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TEME!?" Naruto shouted.

"Nothing!" the irate sounding Uchiha snapped back. Temari rounded the corner to see the two of them arguing and the Sixth Hokage chained to the Uchiha.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HURT HER! AGAIN! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Naruto shouted as he lunged for to Uchiha.

"He didn't hurt her, Naruto," Temari shouted and that stopped the blonde.

"He didn't?" Naruto whirled around then with his eyes red with slits.

"No he didn't, now would you mind if I had a word in private with the Hokage?" she asked. She didn't want to get between them when all three of these men were clearly distraught but she had to do something now before Sakura woke up and caused and international incident by knocking Karui to the Cloud and back for this incident.

"I'll come by and tell you if there's any change with Sakura," Kakashi assured Naruto as the blonde reluctantly nodded before stalking off.

"What happened exactly?" Kakashi asked her in a low hiss as he fought to stay where he was and the Uchiha tried to walk away while chained to him.

"I don't know, I was coming here to tell you I'm going to start a formal inquiry about this incident but this is the second time Karui has attacked Sasuke and Sakura," Temari admitted softly. She looked at the Uchiha as he seemed to be struggling with the chain holding him to Kakashi and then she looked at Kakashi.

"He was harassing Tsunade," the Hokage shrugged lazily.

"Oh," she replied dumbly. She wouldn't think someone would actually chain themselves to the Uchiha but that was just her.

"Please look into this incident, write a formal report and share your findings with the Hyūga Family and the Leaf's council when it is completed, I'll read it over as well and then we'll decide the best course of action," the Hokage said.

"Yes sir," Temari said. "How's Sakura?"

"She took a rock to the head and lost some blood. All of it's superficial according to Tsunade," Kakashi said.

"Alright, please keep me updated on her status, I'll want to talk to her when she's able," Temari admitted as she left. Kami did she ever hate being a diplomat right now.

* * *

Shikamaru was furious at this moment. He was not the hardest working guy in the village, he knew this, and accepted it. However, when he did work he worked his ass off, and did everything to the best of his ability. He didn't even like working honestly, he would rather take a nap.

But he was not a child anymore and understood this.

And because he wasn't a child anymore and understood how the world worked a little more he was furious to hear from the council that his proposal had been rejected because it wouldn't make the village any money. It was infuriating.

His proposal hadn't been about making money.

No, his proposal had been about creating a world better than the one before the war. Creating a world where children of shinobi and civilian alike could grow up in relative peace. He was certain that even the daimyo's would appreciate such a world because it would help protect their wealth a little more. However, this didn't appear to be the case and it was infuriating as he sat at on the deck of his family home looking at the shōgi board at this moment.

At this moment up was down and down was up in this post war world and they had a chance, a real chance, at keeping the world at peace this time rather than have the Shinobi Alliance dissolve away into nothingness and have the Fifth Great Shinobi War within the next fifty or seventy years. But it appeared the pigheaded council didn't see this and just wanted to make profits, which infuriated him beyond words at this moment as he played himself. It was because of people liked the council that he hated stepping up to the plate and actually working hard. However, he was no longer a child and someone had to step up right now.

Slim fingers moved a piece on the board and he scowled as he looked up to the blonde who had moved the piece.

"Stop scowling, makes you look old," she sniped and he frowned a bit at her.

"What do you want now?" he demanded. It had been a really bad day for him.

"Nothing," she said calmly as she looked broadly at his board pieces. "I take it as in it was a rough day for you as well," she said and he looked at the sinking sun.

"The council rejected the proposal," he grumbled.

"They did?"

"Yeah, it's troublesome," he finally decided.

"You could always bypass the council in two and a half months and just take it to the Kage," Temari pointed out as he made his move. She countered. "Gaara wrote me, they'll be here for the formal evaluation on Sasuke, you can present the proposal then."

He lifted his brows. That wasn't a bad idea, the council couldn't reject the proposal if he had personally taken it to the five Kage and had it approved. Then they'd all look like fools. He'd have probably thought of this idea too if he didn't happen to be so mad right now.

"What about you?" he asked her since she said it was a rough day.

"Stupid Cloud kunoichi attacked the Uchiha in the middle of a crowded civilian street," Temari grumbled which had his head snapping up to her then.

"What?" he sputtered.

"Don't give me that look, I handled the situation! And I even stopped Ino from killing her!" Temari snapped.

"What happened!?" he demanded.

"The civilians started attacking Sasuke, the Cloud kunoichi in question thought the Uchiha was attacking them so she attacked first and caused a huge scene, Sakura was stabbed and took a rock to the head, she's alive though and was discharged," Temari debriefed him.

Shikamaru just stared at her.

He had nothing to say to that, he knew people weren't happy about the Uchiha being back, but that wasn't news. It was news to him that the civilians had finally lashed out towards the Uchiha. Somehow though it wasn't surprising to him.

"You said you stopped Ino from killing Karui?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yep, she came marching up on the death march wanting blood when she heard from Kakashi who informed Sai, that Sakura was in the hospital again because she had been stabbed again," Temari sighed as she rubbed her brow. "When did life get so complicated?"

"When we grew up," Shikamaru replied dryly. They didn't say anything again as they both sat there playing shōgi in silence. Part of him missed their arguments, and bickering, but right now he was just too tired to want to deal with that right now as he sat there playing shōgi. This was a good moment to just have that simple moment in life and relax for a minute, catch his breath, collect his thoughts and start tackling the problems from another angle tomorrow. There was a lot of work to be done, but he was too tired to deal with it now.

It was all a drag, that was all he could think as he countered his moves to Temari. He was going to win in the next ten moves, he knew it as he watched her move the pieces.

She sighed and he looked at the dying sky as the stars started emerging and wondered when the world would be simple again. It was exhausting trying to keep up with the work load shoved onto him and trying to keep up with the alliances, and the rebuilding, and the planning, and the work that needed to be done. It was all exhausting.

He found himself wishing for the simpler days of his life when everything was peaceful and quiet and he didn't have any of these responsibilities. But that was just a day-dream and he knew it as he turned his attention back onto the board and made another move against Temari. She scowled, he smirked in triumph.

"Again," she ordered as she started setting up the pieces and he did the same.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	14. Part 1: Chapter 14

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 14**

Keeping Haruno Sakura from collecting blood, proved to be more difficult than Temari had thought as she sat on the steps of the Nara family home and shoved her bangs back with her hands as she looked at her knees.

The formal inquiry hadn't really proven anything really; she knew that it had been a vain hope at best anyways, there was simply no way of really knowing what had happened that day.

Some people said Sasuke struck first, others swore it was Sakura, and some insisted that Karui hadn't even been there and neither had Sakura; the Uchiha had been about to rampage. Temari found her inquiry exhausting. But more than that, Haruno Sakura was clearly after Kauri's blood, if Temari hadn't had to fast talk Ino into helping her gang up on Sakura to intervene Temari had no doubts she would have gone toe to toe with the pinkette who wanted nothing more than to blast Karui. Not that Temari could really blame Sakura for wanting to blast Karui; she wanted to blast that loudmouth, self-centered, tempermental kunoichi back to the Cloud as well but she wouldn't because she was representing her village and she couldn't just be herself for a minute

However, fast talking Ino onto her side had been quite a feat which had Temari doing a happy dance with glee in her success; in private of course, at having had Ino on her side. Ino helped a lot when handling Sakura. Which had been a pleasant change of pace for Temari since she and Ino usually did not get along… wonderfully; face it, Ino was possessive of her friends, and Temari was an interloper who had challenged Shikamaru at the beginning. Also, Ino held grudges, aside from Sakura, Temari didn't think she had met a woman who held a grudge like Ino, and Temari wasn't complete forgiven for not letting her blast Karui to the moon and back. But Temari could live with being in Ino's bad graces for a little while, she and Ino had figured out how to have a… amical relationship which made them friends in a way; she guessed.

One did not always know where they stood with the Yamanaka, or Haruno for that matter.

And Temari was on both of their shit lists, at the moment and she felt like shit at this moment too.

Why did this inquiry have to reveal… NOTHING!? Now there was no way she could get Karui away from the Leaf and out of her hair! Temari just groaned as she shoved her fingers through her hair, sighed and sat up to finish her formal report about this entire disaster which she knew only four things about for certain.

One: Sasuke had reacted poorly to the entire situation.

Two: Karui had stabbed Sakura.

Three: The civilians had reacted poorly to Sasuke.

And Four: Haruno Sakura had been hospitalized because of a rock to the head.

It wasn't much, but it was really all she had after her inquiry and it was exhausting to write out because she had hoped for more. Just more information, more something! something which could get the vengeful Cloud kunoichi out of her hair.

But it appeared that she couldn't be rid of Karui just yet, and made a note that she was going to pull every intimidation tactic she knew and create a few small white lies to keep Karui in order from now on. Temari wasn't dealing with this disaster twice; for if this happened again she had the intention of just leaving Karui in Haruno Sakura's care and letting the pinkette rid them of this headache.

Was she proud of that decision?

No particularly, but she could live with it as she finished her report and stood up. Every vertabra in her back popped when she stretched to her satisfaction and then she hurried off to the Hokage who would be in his office this afternoon since he had started training the Uchiha in the morning. Walking by herself she kept her smirk in place and enjoyed the warmth of the cool morning in the Land of Fire.

There were things to be done, and she had plans to torment Karui into submission instead of having to deal with another bout of these antics. Temari didn't know how much more attitude and bad representation of the Cloud. Karui was an insult to any diplomat who took their job seriously. And Temari took her job very seriously.

She lightly rapped the doors of the makeshift office.

"Come in," she heard Kakashi lazily order. Walking in she wasn't surprised to Shikamaru or Naruto there. "Ah, Temari, the report?"

"Yes sir, there is no proof of misconduct," Temari grudgingly admitted as she handed her formal report over to the Sixth Hokage. It was a very confusing time in the Leaf with two Hokage running the village, but it was relatively clear to her that Kakashi had picked up more of the mantle than his predecessor had; Tsunade was working diligently at the hospital from what she heard.

"Alright, thank you Temari," Kakashi said as he opened her report and she sighed.

"Sir, I cannot force Karui to leave without direct proof that she purposely antagonized the Uchiha, and I have found none. However, she has been insubordinate, and insufferable since her arrival, she does not take orders, and will not stay at her post, I respectfully ask you to dismiss her as a Cloud diplomat," she said. A part of her knew Kakashi couldn't do this, but she still had hopes.

"If there is no proof of her antagonizing Sasuke then we cannot have her leave." Kakashi stated this and she felt like giving up her composure to yell at the Hokage, but refrained because she was a diplomat of Suna, she was representing her entire village. "However, I give you full freedom to discipline your subordinate however you need to and if the other Kage should have a problem with your methods they can come and deal with me," Kakashi informed her slowly and she smirked.

"Yes sir," she nodded and left him then with ever intent of giving Karui hell now.

* * *

After the incident with Sasuke there had been a lot of scrambling in the Hokage's office, and a lot of people were busy. Kakashi himself was a busy man, and Tsunade had been dealing with the hospital and was all but retired. Shikamaru knew this, it was why he waited a few days for everything to settle down again before deciding to go to the Hokage to tell him that the council had rejected the proposal and to forewarn Kakashi that he was undeterred; if a little angry; and would be telling the Kage about his plan.

And that's where he was this morning but after he had arrived Temari had arrived a moment later to knock on the door and give her report. He saw the scary sadistic look in her green eyes as she walked off and decided he didn't want to know what she was up to with her troublesome diplomat.

"So what is it Shikamaru?" Kakashi asked him as Temari left them and shut the door so it was again only him and Naruto in the office/

"The council has rejected the proposal because it will not be profitable to the Leaf," he admitted as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at the Hokage who's lazy eyes widened before they narrowed dangerously.

"They did," the Hokage grumbled as he leant back in his chair.

"Yes, but I am presenting it to the Kage at the final examination of the Uchiha," Shikamaru decided. He agreed with Temari and had found her idea to present to the Kage to be a prefect solution.

"What proposal?" Naruto asked him and he looked over to the war hero who looked a little disheartened at this moment.

"Shikamaru had a proposal for a diplomatic envoy of genin, chnin, and jonin traveling around the civilian villages with medics and help to rebuild the villages affected by the Fourth Great Shinobi War," Kakashi said and Shikamaru looked to the blonde who was looking baffled.

"Why would we do that? I mean, it sounds good, but why wouldn't the council approve it?" Naruto asked him.

"We'd do it to try to bridge some of the gap between civilian and shinobi, it would help prevent war further down the war if the shinobi and civilian populations could get along. And with all these new, disturbing reports of terrorist groups of shinobi following Madara's plan, and the missing people, it would help to have a smaller gap between shinobi and civilian relations," he explained to Naruto who nodded as understanding dawned in his eyes. "And the council rejected this because it would not make them any money."

"Well, that's stupid," Naruto grumbled.

"Stupid indeed." Kakashi nodded, and Shikamaru looked at the silver haired shinobi who was looking distant then. What was going on the Sixth's head? Shikamaru wondered but when Kakashi'a attention snapped onto him again he almost jumped.

"Start the program, I'll present it as your plan to the Kage, but start it now. Take a handful of shinobi with you, keep close and just start working the program, take Chōji, discuss this with Temari and take Karui, I'll provide the jonin going, take Konohomaru's team, and start in the nearest village. For the time being, when the Kage come I'll present this, and say it's intiated, they'll back us, just send a weekly report."

"Yes Kakashi," he nodded then.

"Oh, and Shikamaru, when this is approved, you will be back in this village for work, for now though, go," Kakashi ordered.

"And the council?" he asked.

"I'll take care of the council," Kakashi said firmly. Shikamaru nodded as he left them then, he'd tell Temari he was heading off, and talk to her about taking the troublesome Cloud kunoichi off her hands; that was going to be a drag. He didn't want a hot tempered kunoichi to deal with, but he knew that the village couldn't afford another incident with the Uchiha like the one that had happened a few days ago.

"Temari," he called out when he saw her gold hair, she turned to him and he motioned for her to follow him so he wasn't shouting down the street as he walked back into his family compound.

"What is it?" Temari asked when she came up beside him.

"The Hokage is taking the intiative with the proposal, I'm heading out with a few jonin, a few chūnin, and genin I can take Karui if that's what you order," he said as he packed up a small pack. He looked over his shoulder to the frazzled blonde who sighed.

"Take her!" Temari almost sounded like she was pleading and he nodded.

This trip was going to be a drag with that hot tempered Karui on his envoy. He didn't like the thought, but he understood the importance of what Temari was doing and he understood why Karui shouldn't be near the Uchiha.

"Just… let me talk to her first," Temari said.

"Troublesome," he muttered as he picked up his pack and walked with her.

"Hey! She's been trouble the entire time!" Temari defended and he glared at the green eyed girl as they walked together. "I'm just thankful Sakura won't have her around to create an international incident," Temari grinned.

"No, I will though," he argued. He didn't particularly want to deal with a hot blooded kunoichi at this moment, he just wanted to help villages, other villages who had been bystanders in the shinobi war, to be helped. He also hoped that by the time he got back he could talk some sense into Ino since she still seemed hell-bent on going into Intelligence.

"She'll be good for you," Temari assured him.

"What a drag," he muttered, more o himself than anyone and received a fierce glare from Temari as they walked to the Akimichi residence.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	15. Part 1: Chapter 15

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 15**

The first few days out of the village with his envoy there were problems.

Mostly with Karui who was very vocal about her distrust of Uchiha Sasuke and scolding him for taking her off of a very important detail, it was annoying. It was also interrupting what little free time he'd have to himself! But he could see that she was mostly irritated and decided to ignore her or feign napping when she would stalk up to him.

Hey, if the fake nap worked on everyone besides Sakura and Temari; then why wouldn't it work on Karui!? The only reason Sakura even knew he was faking his nap was because of the Suna attack on their first Chūnin Exams, after that she rarely believed him to be napping when she'd stumble upon him.

And the only reason Temari had figured out the fake nap thing was… well, that was embarrassing and involved his first kiss from a girl. She had literally tripped over him, this was at the start of their working together for the Chūnin Exams and he had been trying to get out of some work. Temari had apparently been looking for him for the better part of an hour and she was mad, he didn't ever like dealing with mad, tyrannical women and Temari was easily the worst of the ones he dealt with and that was because she could actually do what he termed 'the mom guilt' and that sucked. Anyway, she had tripped over him, he had been faking a nap, she kicked him, he schooled himself not to react, she poked him with a stick, which had had him rolling over, she had then proceeded to stick a wet finger in his ear (which had really freaked him out), but he didn't react.

She had finally gotten fed up enough with him that she threatened to kiss him on the count of three if he didn't get moving.

At thirteen he did not think she'd actually follow through with the threat; sure he had liked her but she was sixteen, she wouldn't actually kiss a kid like him.

How wrong he was…

And that was the reason that those two were the only two to figure out his fake nap. He was pretty certain Ino suspected but she usually left him alone when she stumbled upon him because his fake nap routine was to be left alone for a minute.

"Chōji, would you mind waiting here with Karui while I talk with the village elders?" he asked his best friend who was munching on the chips.

"Sure," Chōji shrugged and Shikamaru was exceedingly grateful that he could dump the problem onto his best friend as he walked into the village alone without the shinobi; well Konohomaru was beside him but Shikamaru did not think the genin posed a threat in anyone's eyes.

Sikamaru was very grateful that Chōji did not mind having to look after Karui, she was a cumbersome member of the party and somehow Chōji had gotten through to her. Shikamaru didn't know how his best friend had done that, but he had and Karui usually defected to Chōji when they stopped. If he didn't know better he'd have thought Chōji had a crush on the loud redhead, but Chōji rarely kept his crushes to himself and would chat with him or Ino about it, and Ino would then tell him.

Then again…

Ino wasn't talking to him or Chōji. The thought disheartened him a bit as he walked through the village where the people were slamming their windows and doors shut, children were scurrying out of the way, and Shikamaru lifted a brow to Konohomaru who just looked confused.

"Go away! We don't have anything more!" an old man shouted as he appeared in the middle of the street.

"Huh? We're…"

"Git! Get out of here! No shinobi is welcomed here!" the old man snapped, Shikamaru held his hands up and Konohomaru did the same.

"Sir, we're here to help," Shikamaru said calmly as he motioned for the genin to stay where he was.

"Ain't no shinobi ever here to help!" the elder spat out and raised his cane threateningly.

"Sire, we're not here to hurt you, we've brought food, medics, supplies and are here to help rebuild the village," Shikamaru called out as he stopped noticed some of the villagers holding their crockery up threateningly. It wasn't like it was an actual threat to a shinobi, of any level really, it was just enough of a hint that these people were scared and didn't want to be hurt. He decided the non-threat approach of brining in a few medics first.

"Prove it!" the old man shouted in a huff.

"Konohomaru, get the medics, and only the medics," Shikamaru ordered softly. The kid nodded as he darted off.

"Nara Shikamaru," he introduced himself then.

"I don't care!" the elder spat out.

He didn't react as he just stood there with his hands up nonthreateningly. There was apparently going to be a lot of work for them cut out here. Shikamaru didn't even know where to begin. The people were clearly terrified, the village was in tatters, and judging from what he could see of the old man he was wounded and it was festering when the wind blew in his face, there was a sour, pudgent smell from the man which hinted at infection and he wasn't even a medic to smell that.

Three medics appeared behind him, two men and a woman and they followed Konohomaru with their arms up too.

"We're only here to help," Shikamaru assured the old man. There were whispers around them which had him waiting for a moment before the elder nodded his head.

"Where are your wounds?" the female medic asked.

"This way," the elder huffed.

"Will you let the others in to help?" Shikamaru asked the elder.

"No!" and he nodded as he walked back to the group and said to wait until tomorrow. Karui grumbled and scowled. He didn't care though as he lazily walked back to the village.

* * *

Temari had paired herself up with Omoi, mostly so there wasn't another incident with Cloud and Haruno Sakura's temper, and partially because she didn't trust the blonde. Were all Cloud-nin like their Raikage? Rash and impulsive without a thought about what was really going on?

She didn't know but she did know she did not trust Omoi farther than she could throw him and that lead to her being on Uchiha watch with an annoyingly worrying Cloud shinobi. Honestly she wanted to rip her hair out with how frustrating the Cloud shinobi were proving to be. Another sigh escaped her lips as she watched the Uchiha and Haruno spar again.

"You will get wrinkles if you keep sighing like that," Omoi informed her.

Temari lifted a brow threatening him to continue with the comment. She did not, not care about her appearance but in the grand scheme of her life, her appearance had little importance to her. Insult her though and even she didn't mind cracking skulls with her fan.

Also, why was it that everyone she met from the Cloud seemed concerned about their appearance? That was a problem in her mind, because just about everyone was one step above glamorous or sexy when they came from the Cloud.

Dismissing these thoughts she looked back out at the afternoon training session. It was kind of fun to watch now.

Sasuke had been awkward at first, which had made watching the sparring matches a tad bit boring, but now he moved gracefully and fluidly. Sakura just looked like a pink blur with her hacking and slashing; she wasn't graceful with the sword, but get them in a hand to hand sparring match and Temari would be placing bets with her Hyūga escort on who'd win.

There had to be a way to pass the time in her defense! And standing guard here was boring as hell, but hey, being a diplomat was not always glamorous or entertaining. In fact a good portion of her job was rather dull, she only enjoyed it because she liked traveling around to the other villages and seeing what they were like.

Suna was rather… a dump, compared to some to the other villages. However, the Mist was just terrifying, and eerie set in it's damp fog and ruins; give her Suna's sweltering heat, never ending dust and dry air any day over the Mist.

But Temari found she really liked the Leaf, perhaps not the villagers, they still didn't like her for the Chūnin Exam attack. But she could over look that as she enjoyed the village. The Leaf was a quaint village, and she thought it too adorable, people were always chatting and laughing and the days weren't so hot that stepping outside was instant melting. Yes, she really liked getting Leaf duty, even if it were boring as hell sometimes.

"Do you not like me or something?" Omoi asked snapping her out of her thoughts and had her looking down at him.

"I do not trust you," she countered. 'Liking' someone had very little to do with what she was doing. It wasn't that she particularly disliked Omoi but she was not having another incident with the Uchiha and the Cloud, else she'd be in very deep trouble for blasting them back to the Cloud with her fan.

"Is it because of what Karui has done?" Omoi asked her.

"Partially, it's also your Raikage," Temari shrugged. She wasn't going to beat around the bush about what made it difficult to trust the Cloud-nin. If they didn't happen to be so rash and impulsive then she wouldn't mind them, she'd admit it, she wouldn't mind them if they weren't like their Raikage. People like the Raikage were not good diplomats, terrific leaders, yes; diplomats? No.

"I am not like them," Omoi stated.

"Doesn't matter, trust is earned and since coming here a month and a half ago, you and Karui have been nothing but trouble. Specifically, Karui's been trouble and you just follow her lead. Because of this, I don't trust you to stay where I put you. This detail, no matter how boring, or how against it you might be, is very important. You and Karui seemed to have missed that," Temari stated coldly.

She looked back just as Sakura slammed her chakra punch into the Uchiha and he knocked her off her feet.

"The Uchiha killed our friends," Omoi mumbled.

"He attacked my brother," she replied and that had her looking at the coal eyes of the younger man beside her. "But I cannot hold a grudge against him when my brother's done far worse and worked to redeem himself."

"And what if you do not believe in redemption?" Omoi asked her.

"Then you are the fool, life is full of opportunities to repent and redeem ones' self. It is important, and it is even more important to let others try to redeem themselves after all the wrongs they have committed. Even if it hurts you," Temari admitted.

"Did it hurt you when your brother sought redemption?" Omoi asked her.

"Yes," she admitted softly. And it had hurt her more to seek redemption from the Leaf, they were not the ones to forgive or forget and she was still working on redeeming herself. Redemption was never easy, and it was harder to obtain when there was no one watching your back while you struggled for it. And because of this, she could no more condemn the Uchiha than she could her little brother or herself. She knew how hard it was.

"I still don't like him," Omoi muttered around his lollipop.

"You are not required to like him," Temari snapped. "You are however required to keep it to yourself and look out for what's best for him and your village at this moment. You are a diplomat of the Cloud, so act like it."

She snickered when she saw Sakura manage to trip the Uchiha and they both toppled into the lake, that was funny.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	16. Part 1: Chapter 16

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 16**

Shikamaru had decided that he had his work cut out for him the next morning as he looked around the village, he was ignoring the incident with Chōji and Karui; though it had clearly flustered his kind friend. It was kind of funny, but he was overlooking it as something unimportant at this moment as he looked around the village and stood with the elder from yesterday.

"So, you really come to help," the old man huffed.

"Yes sir," he replied. Temari had kind of forced him to have manners when the situation warranted it. Not that he was particularly thrilled about having them, but at this moment he wanted to appear nonthreatening to the elder.

"What are you after?" the old man demanded then and Shikamaru just stared blankly at the old man. After? They were after nothing, there was nothing to gain here.

"Nothing, we've come to help, it was our war which threw the world out of balance, we decided to come help," he replied. That was all, he didn't mention that he had a hope that they'd be able to mend the bridge between shinobi and civilians because more than likely this old man would scoff at the idea and he didn't feel like explaining this entire desire again. It had been tough enough to explain it to Temari when they had discussed it but to explain it to a judgemental stranger just didn't seem smart.

"I ain't never met a shinobi here to just help after they destroy something," the elder huffed out.

"We're only here to help," he assured the elder.

"Where ya goin' to start?" the elder demanded.

"We have medics here for your injured and sick, we'll rebuild the homes and shops while we're here and the genin are happy to watch pets and children while the chūnin will help with anything you need them for," he explained.

"Genin and chūnin?" he asked.

"The shinobi ranking system for abilities, the genin are the kids learning, chūnin are still learning but able to go on missions of their own, and jonin are the masters," Shikamaru explained in as simple terms as he could. The entire shinobi ranking system was actually very complicated because they were put where they were needed. Take Kakashi and Might Guy for example, both were jonin of rank and both were respected shinobi in their own right.

However, Kakashi had classified ANBU files, and from the way he was known in the shinobi world and the way he fought he had been more of an assassin or a black-ops guy than what Guy had been.

Might Guy on the other had was a renowned taijutsu master, and a known jonin, but he was best for teaching or head on fights where no secrecy was in play.

So while the ranking of shinobi sounded simple, it was actually very complicated and complex according to abilities and purpose and where they'd be useful.

"Huh," the old man grunted and Shikamaru smirked a little at the elder's antics. Shikamaru then walked over to his troops and started assigning tasks. The only ones who weren't under his leadership were the medics, but they were here to listen to him all the same.

* * *

Temari found that Omoi wasn't all that bad, a bit of an over worrier but she could handle his over cautious rambling. It wasn't like he was going to attack the Uchiha without thinking about what he was doing first, which was reassuring to her as she shifted off her watch period and walked to the Nara estate. It wasn't fun for her but she didn't mind this duty. She had definitely had worse assignments in her life, and she could think of over a dozen she could list off the top of her head.

Walking into the Nara house she found it empty, which wasn't surprising to her.

There was a note on the table for her, Yoshino had gone over to the Akimichi home today and Temari shrugged at this. Yoshino was clearly very distraught and lonely since Shikaku had passed. Temari just set the note aside as she walked towards her quarters and stripped today's gear off. After her shower she decided to clean her fan, proper weapon care was important and it would keep her mind off her own boredome and would keep her occupied until she went to bed.

Cleaning the giant fan was a simple task, and once it was spotless she was satisfied with it as she pulled her unruly hair down and looked around the Nara home for something to read. There were many books here, history, strategy, great generals, and a few fiction stories. She settled on a mystery novel and curled up on her futon to read it.

She was just bored, that's what this was, she decided as she sat there staring at the same page for over a half an hour. Sighing she gave up reading and decided to just go to bed. There was no reason for her to be awake when the Uchiha would no doubt be having an early start in the morning. Something of which she couldn't figure out, Sasuke and Sakura were usually out the door at the crack of dawn, or Kakashi was there just as the sun broke.

Sighing she shut her eyes and stretched out on her stomach as she tried to think about something. Anything really and her mind was curiously bank. Perhaps spending the entire day with Omoi had dulled her mind, or perhaps it was because she hadn't had Shikamaru to play a game of Go or shōgi against. That was just as likely of a possibility as she lay there thinking about her friend. She wondered how the diplomatic outreach was going. It was a good idea and she had hopes for it. She wanted to be involved with it though as she yawned and let her eyes droop.

Perhaps she'd bring it up with Gaara…

* * *

Shikamaru found it tiring to spend his whole day in construction but it had been productive.

Far more productive than he had expected. Chōji had been a huge help with his expanding self there to carry the extreme heavy loads. Shikamaru had been impressed to that Chōji knew his way around a construction site. But then again his friend had told him that he had been rebuilding the village with the civilians as of late, Shikamaru was still impressed all the same.

But after smashing his thumb for the fourth time today with a hammer he was done. He didn't want to keep smashing his fingers. Thankfully though it was evening and the sun was sinking below the horizon then. Shikamaru had to enjoy the moment as he sat on the roof staring at the orange and purple clouds and wondered how everything was going for the villagers back home. He hoped that things were still running smoothly though he didn't know. he didn't know what to expect from his village at this moment as they had two Hokage and over a dozen problems and a thousand requests and intelligence reports flooding them when he had left. It hadn't been easy to admit that but even he had been a bit overwhelmed while he had been there.

However, it was work that had needed to be done.

Now though, now he was feeling productive. He was feeling like he was actually getting something done and he had to admit that it felt damn good as he sat there staring at the sky.

He still wanted to lounge about and enjoy his days but he was finding that after a day of actually being useful for the civilians he was kind of eager for tomorrow when it would come to start this all over again. However, he was not doing the construction work again. That was done, he wanted to keep all of his fingers on his hands. Besides, Chōji had a handle on that and he wanted to let his friend shine in his work.

Which had his mind wandering to his other friend, the friend who was currently furious with him and wanted his head on a platter.

Ino, why did she have to be such a troublesome woman? And a nag? Good Kami was she ever like a mother hen pecking at him sometimes! However, he wouldn't trade her for the world, and he still found himself a bit annoyed that she just couldn't see he was right about this matter and that she wasn't cut out for Torture & Interrogation. She was Ino, and despite all of her tyrannical ways and temper she was a sweet girl, she wasn't a sadist like Ibiki. He knew this and he knew that when Ino had to actually slow down and think about what was going on she'd see he was right. Until then though, he was clearly on her shit list and he didn't like that all that much as he watched the sun die and stood up to go meet up with his envoy.

* * *

Another day on Uchiah babysitting duty was dull as she walked to her post. It was kind of funny, but she was starting to miss Shikamaru and all of his complaining. She'd have lived for that versus the dull routine of watching the Uchiha. Still, she as being dutiful as she got, got ready and took up her post as the sentry again.

It was so dull and monotonus that she could almost resent having this job. Almost.

The truth was she understood why this task was important, she did and that was the only thing keeping her from losing her mind.

"Hey Temari!" she perked up when her voice was called out.

"Ino?" she blinked twice at seeing the silvery blonde jogging over to her, Sai beside her and they both slowed down.

"I heard you kicked Karui out of here!" Ino grinned in triumphant glee.

"It was that or have an international incident," she replied blandly. No doubt if the redhead had stayed here Ino or Sakura would have blasted her back to the Cloud and that wasn't the most pleasant of thoughts in Temari's mind. Mostly because she wanted to be the one to blast the Cloud kunoichi back to where she belonged. She had thought it admirable what Sakura was trying to do for the Uchiha, even if it were foolish in many ways.

"Good ridence," Ino decided.

"I'm going back to the compound," Sai said and darted off before either of them could protest. Ino grinned a little evilly.

"I've been making him do physical therapy for his hand, I think he hates me," she admitted and Temari chuckled.

"Men are babies," she mused thinking of Shikamaru who would whine and complain over everything unless it was something he was passionate about.

"I know! But he's so much fun to torture!" Ino giggled. "Hey you should come over to dinner sometime!"

"I should?" Temari was now stunned. Yes, she and Ino were friends, but they weren't… well, they were friends through Shikamaru and they didn't hang out together, ever.

"Yeah, it'll be fun, we've never hung out without Shikamaru and Chōji around! Girls night!"

"Uh… alright?" Temari agreed. She'd never had a 'girls night' in her entire life.

"Great! I'll see if I can get Sakura to relinquish custody of the Uchiha for a night and we'll have an awesome, male-free, get together!" Ino chuckled.

"Sounds like a plan," Temari mused. This could be fun, she actually liked Ino and Sakura, they were far more interesting than Yakata and Matsuri.

"Great, I'll make the plans and we'll just have a lazy night, I'll kick Sai out to hang with Naruto or Kakashi, oh! I should invite Tenten and Hinata! Then it'll really be a girl's night!" Ino was grinning dubiously and Temari chuckled at the younger blonde's excitement. She had never hung out with Tenten or Hinata, she had never really pegged them as interesting, but she was willing to give it a go with Ino's excitement.

"I'll get a hold of you with the details later!"

"Alright Ino," she mused.

"Later Temari!" Ino waved and ran off after Sai. Temari felt a bit better a she returned her attention to her post and her Hyūga escort showed up.

"Ten on Sakura," she said.

"Fifteen on Uchiha," he replied as they watched.

* * *

 **YAY! I'm Not Dead!**

 **Did You Miss Me!? Probably not, you guys probably just missed the updates... *sigh* =|**

 **Oh Well! =) Enjoy my week of writing with no internet for updates! I have written over 100,000 words for fanfiction so I hope you enjoy the chapters of all my stories!  
**

 **For Guests who are confused for the huge jump to the end I posted four new chapters today.**

 **For those of you who's emails I have spammed with updates... sorry, I had a lot of stuff to post!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	17. Part 1: Chapter 17

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 17**

Shikamaru looked over the disturbing report he had received from the Hokage and sighed. The trouble with radicals form was simple: they were radicals. Radicals couldn't be reasoned with, persuaded, or taught. They followed their beliefs even to death and reading over this disturbing report had him concerned.

Uchiha Madara might have been dead, but his beliefs and ideas were very much alive. Rogue ninja from the war were adopting these beliefs and little bands of these ninja were now causing problems everywhere. Shikamaru still found it disturbing that people could be so susceptible to a delusional, mad man's beliefs to follow them, but then again, some people were desperate and needed direction and were easy prey for those who were actually the true believers.

No doubt many of these new followers of Uchiha Madara's were only people who were desperate for a purpose or belief again after the war. He was understanding of that weakness as he looked over the intelligence report. However, the real trouble would be the true believers, the people who actually believed everything that Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito had believed right up until their demises. He sighed and pulled out another cigarette.

The disturbing part of these reports were the targets of these bands of rogue ninja's rage was the civilian population. They did not seem intent on attacking those who could or would fight back, but rather inflicting terror on the weaker. Even he found himself disgusted with this as he leant back against the wall of the room where he had the reports in his hand. Lighting the cigarette Shikamaru began trying to figure out a way to counter these rogue ninja.

If they wanted to inflict pain and terror into people's hearts and minds then he had no desire to call these former shinobi rogue ninja at all. If terror was what their goal was then they would be called what they were; terrorists. Shikamaru looked out at the rebuilding village, the shinobi and the civilians were working together, and though they were not in perfect harmony, he could see the vast improvements they had made in the short time since their arrival.

Standing up he pulled the smoking cigarette from his lips and tried to think of what to do.

No doubt this village was next on the raid list if the intel report was anything to go by, however they wouldn't be attacked if all the Leaf shinobi were here.

An idea struck him then when he saw Chōji and Karui and he walked down to them. They could remain, he and his group would move to the next village and he would leave them to defend the village. Shikamaru had a feeling that that would work in his favor. Leaving two shinobi behind would probably make these terrorist think about recruiting rather than annihilating. And besides, he knew he could trust Chōji to remain loyal to the Leaf, and with all the rage Karui was known to display he doubted she would be swayed by these terrorists and their radical beliefs.

"Hey Chōji," Shikamaru called to his lumbering friend. People ducked when Chōji turned, turning his load of beams with him.

"We need to talk," Shikamaru stated.

"Alright," Chōji said and he put his load where it belonged before they were walking through the tiny village.

"What do you think, Chōji? A week here at most?" Shikamaru predicted then as they walked together.

"Yeah, I'd send them supplies too," Chōji admitted and Shikamaru nodded. He wasn't as worried about the supplies, but it was a good, kind thought to keep building relations with the civilian population.

"Alright," Shikamaru nodded then. "And then we'll move onto the next, we'll come back and check on them though," he decided. With the idea of the terrorist attacks popping up more frequently he had a feeling that checking in would be a good idea for everyone involved.

"What's the matter? You sound troubled," Chōji said as he munched on his chips.

"Just some disturbing things the elder has been saying and the reports I've been reading," he admitted. It was disturbing to think about these radicals and their ideals following Uchiha Madara's and their attacking the civilians who were unable to defend themselves. They were all cowards in his mind, but it was still disturbing.

"What kind of disturbing things?"

"There's been reports of rogue bands of shinobi banding together in various groups to follow Madara's teachings, they have been small and numerous, but they are reported as terror groups who will attack civilian villages." He admitted reluctantly.

"And you think this is why they're uneasy with us?" Chōji munched on and Shikamaru looked around at the civilians Chōji was looking at.

"I don't know, but the elder said there had been a raid here last week, and that the shinobi lit the village on fire."

"Well, when you move to the next village, leave a pair here and wait it out, if they come back then know," Chōji said between a mouthful of chips. Shikamaru hid his smile at his best friend setting himself up exactly how Shikamaru knew he would.

"That's brilliant Chōji!

"It is?"

"You and Karui will stay here, and if there's another raid you two will stop it," he decided gleefully. That solved the problem of the complainer and it kept her busy with the new found terrorists who were going to be coming again no doubt. Shikamaru liked this plan as he smiled a bit internally and tried to remain nonchalant on the outside.

"We will?" Chōji choked.

"Yes, and Karui will be out of the way," Shikamaru said firmly. He liked the idea of getting through the next few months without any other sort of incident. He didn't want to deal with an international incident because a Cloud kunoichi decided she had had enough.

"And if you capture one of these terrorist take them back to the village for interrogation," Shikamaru decided.

"Uh…" Chōji just looked a bit lost as Shikamaru left him behind and began formulating more plans for fighting these terrorists. He rather liked the challenge of a good strategy.

* * *

Ino's plans of a girl's night had turned into a girl's weekend much to Temari's amusement. However, those plans for the 'spa weekend' were on hold at the moment because of her. Temari had run into a slightly small problem for this little girl's weekend.

There was no back up diplomat for her.

That was by the choice of the Kazekage, her brother had had complete faith in her to be able to keep up with the mission and she had been a little happy with his faith in her. Now she was seeing where that was biting her in the ass as she waited for a return notice from her request for a back up diplomat. She had been messaging Gaara all week about this, and she had been trying to evade telling him that she was going on a 'girl's weekend' spa trip instead of focusing on her mission.

However, in her defense she had been diligently serving Suna since before the war, and she would continue serving it long after the war, but she was tired. So bloody tired of everything! She was exhausted, and now that Shikamaru wasn't around she could feel like an old woman rather than the almost twenty-one year old that she was. Ino was offering her friendship and a chance to feel like her old self, and Temari felt selfish enough to want to take that back. To take back who she was and be who she was again. She hadn't felt entirely like herself since the war but it was something she kept to herself as she dragged her fingers through her down hair.

"Moping around because Shikamaru's gone?" a voice grated her nerves. Clenching her teeth she glared over her shoulder at the pixie built girl. Kurostuchi had a smug look on her face which had Temari schooling her features quickly before she rose to the girl's petty bait.

"You must really love Shikamaru," Kurostuchi purred and Temari got to her feet then as she looked the girl squarely in the eye. She was so tempted to stab this girl it wasn't even funny, she despised Kurostuchi and if she didn't happen to be a diplomat of Suna she just might have followed the impulse to do just that.

"It must be sad to only be able to hold one thought in your head," Temari decided as she brushed past the smaller girl and walked to her quarters. Why was it that everyone assumed she was in love with Nara Shikamaru? He was lazy, he did not take anything besides strategy seriously, he was annoying, and he was her little brother's age! Did people not see that she wouldn't love a younger man, it was a bit like robbing the cradle in her mind.

Temari sighed when she walked into her quarters and looked up at the ceiling.

Still, he made her heart race, she always felt happy in a way around him, and she liked his company because he could hold a conversation with her that didn't involve stupid girly things.

Stiffening at that thought she shook her head; NO! She did not like Shikamaru like that! She didn't!

The sound of pecking on glass had her looking at her window, there was a Suna hawk on her window sill and she smiled to herself as she shoved her disturbing thoughts aside and walked to the window. She retrieved the bird and saw the message. Cringing internally at the names her brother had given her as she smiled at the relief of being given the weekend off before she walked out of her quarters.

"I'll be back soon Yoshino," she informed the matriarch of the Nara home.

"Oh," Yoshino blinked then. Temari smiled a bit as she waved at the older woman and left. The only reason she told Yoshino she was leaving because she didn't want to worry the older woman. Besides, Yoshino kind of reminded her of her own mother, and that was an unusual feeling as she walked to the Yamanaka compound.

"Hello Temari," a voice had her looking at the porch where Sai was sitting with what appeared to be a sleeping Ino.

"Hello Sai, is Ino… awake?" Temari asked.

"One moment," Sai said, he shut his eyes and after a minute Ino's body gasped as her eyes flew open, Sai caught her before she fell off the porch then.

"Hey Temari," Ino huffed out.

"Where you…?" Temari didn't quite know how to phrase what she wanted to ask as she looked between Sai and Ino.

"I was practicing," Ino admitted as she stood up. Sai just left them then and Ino smiled at her then. "Sai's mind was trained with all sorts of traps and deceptions so he's been helping me practice my family's jutsu and navigating minds."

"Uh… cool?" Temari said uncertainly. She wasn't entirely certain how she was to respond to that as she looked back at Ino. "I have a replacement coming out temporarily, if you are still doing your girl's weekend," she admitted.

"Awesome! And you're coming!" Ino grinned.

"Great, when is it?" Temari asked with a smile. She rather liked the idea of possibly being friends with Ino, not a friend of a friend, it would be nice. Besides, Ino didn't seem to be like the girls in her own village who were obsessed with her little brother and wanted to be her friend to be near Gaara. That was exhausting.

"Sakura thinks the week after next, even Hinata and Tenten have agreed to come so we'll make the reservations for then and we'll all go!" Ino said giddily.

"It sounds like a plan," Temari admitted.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Ino declared and Temari just chuckled at the younger's enthusiasm. She was kind of looking forward to the break as well, it sounded like this could be fun. Though she didn't know how to feel about going on this trip with virtual strangers, still… it could be fun.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	18. Part 1: Chapter 18

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 18**

Temari waved to Sakura when she passed her on the way to the main gate, Sakura smiled and kept going. Temari wasn't particularly hurt by this behavior as she walked on, she was on a mission. Mostly because she was going on that girl's weekend.

Friends were not something she had in Suna, but she had hopes of making friends here in the Leaf in some way. They wouldn't be good friends, but she wanted friends and here no one in the Leaf really feared her. Either through bloodline, title, reputation, or relatives, she was usually feared in some respect back home. It was with that in mind that she was determinedly trying to make some friends aside from Shikamaru and her brothers.

Reaching the main gates she nodded to the sentries who were normally posted there. Their names eluded her but she knew them both and knew them rather well in some capacity. A light breeze tugged her hair as she stared out at the road and knew they were coming. They'd be here sooner rather than later, for they would fear her wrath if they were late.

Internally she groaned and groused about why her brother had to pick them as her stand-ins, but she had a feeling that was because he wanted them out of his hair for a while. Gaara was shy around other people, people he was comfortable with he opened up to some, but she had a feeling that there was never going to be another person on this planet her brother would completely drop his shields for, and she would just accept that. Letting one's guard down was difficult to do, and it was even harder to do when one knew how much it hurt to be hurt by loved ones.

Sighing Temari made out the forms of the coming girls and frowned when she saw two others coming behind them.

Fuck her!

That was her only thought when she made out those gold eyes and red hair coming towards her and she pulled her fan around to stand with it firmly planted in front of her as she glared at the coming party of four.

"Temari!" the two Suna girls gasped for breath as they skidded to a halt before her.

"Yakata, Matsuri," she acknowledged then.

"Hey Temari, we have a terrorist leader captured, I'm here to drop him off at Intelligence," Chōji spoke up then. She didn't acknowledge him though as her focus was entirely upon the redhead before her. Karui looked furious and uncomfortable as they stood there in silence.

"Uh… I'll come back," Chōji decided.

"If you don't mind Chōji would you please show Yakata and Matsuri to the Nara residence?" she asked as she glared at the redhead.

"No, come on," Chōji said and she didn't look away from Karui as she listened to them leave.

"Look I'm not here to cause trouble!" Karui snapped.

"Then you don't mind if I make certain you don't do something stupid," she said coldly as she assessed the redhead and they both stood there in a glaring contest when Karui looked away. Temari didn't know how long it was until Chōji returned but once she was certain that they were leaving she turned away and walked to the Nara compound. The last thing she needed and or wanted on her hands was the international incident of Haruno Sakura punching Karui through a mountain range, and Temari would probably applaud Sakura for the punch which wouldn't help matters.

"So, a weekend off!?" Matsuri said in a sly tone which had Temari's brow lifting then.

"I expect that there to be no trouble while I'm gone this weekend," she stated in a firm tone. She liked Matsuri and Yakata, but she also knew those girls were girls' girls and they were more interested in boys and other girl things than they were some of their missions. And that was fine, Temari knew that it must be fun because there were a lot of other girls like them out there, but she was serious about this mission.

Boring as it was.

"Alright, what are we doing?" Yakata said and smiled sweetly which had Temari internally debating on whether or not she should or shouldn't cancel girls' weekend on her part. Shaking her head she decided she was going, she was going to that damn girls' weekend. For once Temari was going to be like all the other girls around her and she was going to enjoy it.

"You two are on a guard detail," she stated and set her fan aside as she began outlining the specifics of what was to be required of them. They were enthralled with the idea of watching the Uchiha, at the words handsome and gorgeous Temari decided it'd be best if these two never met Sakura.

Though… she wasn't certain what Sakura thought about the Uchiha anymore. Sighing Temari stood up and left them to work it out between themselves as to who had what shift and what they were going to be doing. There was no doubt in her mind that they'd be fine as she walked to her quarters and started packing what was needed for a girls' weekend at the spa.

Finished with that she decided to tell Ino that she was all set and walked away from the Nara compound towards the Yamanaka compound.

Walking onto the property she noticed Sai first.

"Hello Temari," he smiled that strange smile of his which had her a little uneasy.

"Hello Sai, is Ino here?" she asked.

"She was summoned to Intelligence this afternoon, I have no doubt she will be here in a little bit if you would like to wait," he said and she decided that she would wait. He wasn't all that bad of company, just odd as they both sat there in silence.

The Yamanaka compound had a terrific view was all she could think as she stared at the bleeding sunset and the forest.

"Hey Temari!" she looked over to the blonde walking towards her and Sai.

"Hey Ino," she greeted.

* * *

Shikamaru sighed as he stared up at the night's clouds and savored the feeling of relaxing again as he ignored the pressing reality of their situation and what they were doing as a mission. He was glad that the work was going so well, he was, it was a lot of work and he was glad that everything was going as he wanted and planned it to go, but there was a part of him which was tired. The slacker in him was rousing once more as he realized that he wasn't as needed in making this all work as he initially thought.

All he needed to do was create the program and watch it flourish. That seemed to be the only thing he could do.

However, Shikamaru saw the value in the field work that he was doing. also, the intelligence he was gathering on the rogue shinobi running around and the fanatics who were following Uchiha Madara's views. It was astounding to him just how many people were falling for all this… this… bullshit! It was all bullshit and yet susceptible people were falling into these radical views and it was troublesome.

More troubling was the thought that these people had no rules of engagements.

Within the past week alone he had dealt with two villages that had been torn apart by these rogue shinobi. He had seen the children, the women and the men who were hurt, injured or killed by these rogue shinobi and he was horrified. There was still the image of a little baby girl in his head, the baby was bloody, dead, and clutched in her mother's dead arms. It was the eyes of the mother and the baby who haunted him because the woman and the child were around the same ages as Kurenai and Mirai and that had scared him.

In the Pain Attack Kurenai had had a few close calls, and during the war she said she and Mirai had nearly been killed a time or two. But they were alive.

The sight of that mother holding her daughter had reminded him of how often he had nearly lost both Kurenai and Mirai. It made him hurt in ways and it made him furious. Not even in the Fourth Great Shinobi War had they ever purposely attacked civilians or children and lately that was all he was seeing.

These rogue shinobi infuriated him, and his fury was something which was as cold as the icy pits of Hell. He could and would and did channel all of his icy rage into strategy and he was currently devising a thousand ways to destroy these radicles who didn't really understand what Uchiha Madara had been doing or preaching. If they had truly understood what Uchiha Madara had been talking about Shikamaru had no doubt that people would stop following the Uchiha's deranged teachings.

However, even he knew there were weak people both in the shinobi and civilian world who looked for something to believe in. Shikamaru just couldn't understand how that was what had called to them

"Shikamaru," he looked over to the genin, Konohamaru, walked over to him.

"What is it?" Shikamaru asked the boy as he sat up. He knew this was harder on the genin because they were so young, and war was confusing.

"The last village… why did they say Uchiha Madara was right before they lit that paper bomb?" Konohamaru asked him and Shikamaru sighed as he sat up and folded his legs as they both stared at the dying embers of the fire of their camp.

The last village had had one of the terrorist attacks, and just after the coward had hurt as many people as he could; including two jonin on his envoy; he had lit a paper bomb when Shikamaru had captured him in the shadows and blew himself up. But no before proclaiming to find the Infinate Tsukiyomi and Madara was right about this wretched world.

"Because… they fell victim to someone else who manipulated them," Shikamaru admitted. That was what he believed. There was no way the actual leaders of these rogue shinobi were going to let themselves be hurt in their quest to destroy everything. The leaders were cowards who would manipulate their people without conscious thought about human life. That's all he had learnt about these terrorist.

"Yes, but why? Uchiha Madara wanted to destroy the world," Konohomaru persisted and Shikamaru pulled out a cigarette. He had been smoking a lot these last few weeks, he had noticed but he didn't seem inclined to stop, much to his dismay. Slipping the butt of the cigarette between his lips, he thought of the best way to explain this to Asuma's nephew.

"Because, there weak people out there who can always be manipulated by stronger people. It's the stronger people who decide whether they are going to be a part of the solution or if they are going to be a part of the problem ad they then manipulate their followers in the direction they choose. They brainwash their followers and manipulate to them, and lie, all to create pain and suffering. They don't do it in the name of Uchiha Madara, even if that's what they tell everyone.

"They do it because they can and they enjoy inflicting more hate and pain in this world."

"Yes, but then what are we?" the boy asked and Shikamaru smirked.

"That's a good question," he admitted. "We're the other side of the coin. We're the ones who try to stop them and we try to help people. We're nothing like them even if we follow our own stronger people and believe in what we are taught."

"How are we different?" Konohamaru whispered and Shikamaru lit the cigarette then.

"Because, we aim to protect, they hope to destroy," he said simply. It was that simple, strangely, and sadly. Despite how complicated it was, it was truly that simple and that was the reason he was here trying to heal the world.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	19. Part 1: Chapter 19

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 19**

Shikamaru snapped to attention when a familiar touch hit his head, it was blunt, yet soothing and he knew it like he knew every piece of a shogi game. He looked up and then the voice he hadn't heard in his head in so long spoke which had his eyes closing at the familiarity of this voice and bond. Something which had been shut off after a terrible fight.

 _The terrorists are not in organized groups_ , Ino's voice invaded his head and he sat there as he patiently 'listened' to the run down brief Ino was relaying.

She finished and he started.

 _Ino!_

 _I'll chat with you later Shikamaru, Temari, Sakura, Hinata, Tenten and I are going out on a girls' weekend, good luck hunting!_ Was all her voice said and then there was nothing as his mind was again empty of that precious bond. He sighed, she'd see he was right and he stood up as he pulled out another cigarette and shut his eyes.

Perhaps the rational part of his mind had died at the next thought which crossed his mind. Perhaps having his connection to Ino and Chōji severed as it was, was driving him insane. Or perhaps he was just tired, and exhausted with everything Ino could put him through.

But he still thought this thought all the same.

He hoped to Kami that Temari could help Ino see his point. With that thought he was scratching his head and he sighed.

Ino and Temari ganging up on him would be most troublesome, in fact it was the stuff of nightmares. There'd never be a peaceful moment in his life if those two ganged up on him. And yet… he had some snide part of him hoping that Ino and Temari became friends. He shook his head of the thought and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked back into the village to talk with his troops about these terrorist and what he was planning for them to do.

It was clear to him that the action for dealing with these terrorists would need to be swift and immediate. The shinobi community would need to reach out to the civilians and if they banded together there was hopes of stopping the recruiting method that they were using to lure people into their traps. It would have to be something which would help all people, especially the weakest ones of any society.

The ones who were hitting rock bottom and needed something to believe in, the ones who were impressionable, and the ones who were pounded on by the system who wanted to pound back. Those were the ones who would be obvious recruits and he began formulating plans with this in mind as he walked into the village.

"Konohamaru," he called out for the genin.

"Yes, Shikamaru?"

"Get everyone, we have some new information which will need to be relayed to others about your plans," Shikamaru announced. The young genin nodded as he disappeared into the village and Shikamaru rapidly thought of what to do next.

* * *

Temari was a little excited for the girls' weekend as she grabbed her bags, gave a stern warning to Yakata and Matsuri to behave and to take their task serious. Now she was just waiting on Ino, Hinata, and Tenten as she stood at the main gates of the village waiting.

Sakura was the first to appear, much to her surprise.

"Hey Temari," Sakura greeted.

"Hey Sakura," Temari smiled a little.

"This is going to be a nice change of pass," Sakura decided as she stood there and Temari smirked.

"Yes, I have never gone on a girls' weekend," she admitted and Sakura grinned.

"Then this will be a lot of fun! We're going to drink, Ino's a gullible drunk," Sakura informed her. That peaked Temari's interest, drinking with friends. She had never done that before; it could be fun… "I've never seen Hinata drunk and with Tenten pregnant she won't drink."

"What about you?"

"Please, I'd be a shame to my Master if I could let them drink me under the table, I'm the Fifth Hokage's disciple after all," Sakura smirked wickedly and pointed her thumb at her brow. Temari chuckled and they were soon joined by Ino, Tenten, and Hinata.

"Are you certain that this is a good idea?" Tenten asked uncertainly.

"Positive," she, Sakura, Hinata, and Ino said all at once. Temari couldn't look away from the young woman standing before her, Tenten looked aweful, like half of a person. And she remembered the cocky genin she had faced in the Chūnin Exams. Those two were completely different, and she felt that it was time for them all to get away for a moment.

"So, Temari, any juicy details on a love life we can exploit and live vicariously through!?" Ino demanded as they started towards the neighboring village was only an hour's walk away.

"Uh…?" Temari was confused as she looked at the greedy looking platinum girl. "No?"

"What!? Are you not certain, why are you saying it like it's a question!?" Ino demanded hotly.

"Because I'm not entirely certain what you're after," Temari said bluntly. She didn't have a love life, she didn't really have friends, and she didn't have a social life, she was far too busy for such things. Besides, she seemed to only attract weirdos like Daimaru. So, needless to say she was not entirely certain what Ino was seeking from her.

"Alright, do you have a boyfriend?"

"No."

"Do you like someone?"

"No."

"Do you have a crush on someone?"

"I don't think so," she answered blandly again and Ino sighed. If she had a crush on a guy she was relatively certain she'd notice.

"Oh kami you're making this difficult," Ino sighed. "Do you like Shikamaru?"

"Yes, he is perhaps one of my dearest friends," she replied.

"I can work with that!" Ino decided.

"Uh…"

"Just let her go, when she's like this there is no stopping her," Sakura said and Temari shrugged.

"Would you date Shikamaru!?" Ino asked giddily.

"What!? No! He's my little brother's age!" she sputtered completely thrown off balance by Ino's question. It also didn't help she had come here to escape those very questions when she had been in Suna. Matsuri and Yakata had been relentless about this very topic.

"I'll take that as a maybe," the younger blonde decided and Temari sighed as she looked to Sakura.

"Is she always like this?"

"If she sets you up on a blind date I'll knock his lights out, you can make a break for it," Sakura said.

"Deal," she decided and they both chuckled. "So, how does it feel to be Uchiha free for a weekend?"

"I don't know, let me open a bottle of sake and I might have an answer for you after the bottle's gone," Sakura decided.

"Mind splitting the bottle?"

"Not at all."

"Good, I think we're both going to be in need of strong drinks," Temari decided when she saw Ino flustering Hinata with her blunt questions about the girl's love life.

"Definitely, but first, we get Ino drunk," Sakura decided.

"Sounds like a good plan," she mused.

"I thought so," Sakura agreed and Temari smirked. This was going to be a lot of fun as she walked with these girls and they chatted about various things. She found she actually had a lot in common with Ino and Sakura, which was surprising.

The topics of conversation ranged from boys, to medical text, to spa plans, to jutsu debates, and to weekend plans. She found that she rather liked it. She was also extremely grateful to Sakura when she would redirect the conversation from Ino's badgering about Shikamaru.

Truthfully, Temari wasn't entirely certain what she should feel for the young man. She just knew he was someone she considered a dear friend at this moment and after having dealt with so much loss in the war friendships were important.

"Yes! We're here! Come on!" Ino shouted as she grabbed Tenten's and Hinata's wrists and dragged them towards the spa. Temari just chuckled.

"Someone is excited," she mused.

"Definitely, Ino loves the spa almost as much as shopping." She and the pinkette laughed as they followed the excited blonde into the inn and checked in for their spa weekend.

"Alright, we drop our bags off and off to the first of many glorious massages," Ino declared. Temari found she couldn't argue with that as she dropped off her stuff and prepared herself for the spa.

Pulling her hair down she ran her fingers through the shoulder length mass of frizzy blonde hair and then pulled it into a single tail before dragging on a robe. She was shocked when she saw the masseuse ready for her. Deciding that there was no time like the wonderful present she laid down and tensed as hands touched her person. However she relaxed slowly as those hands worked out her knots and aches from everything that had been going on over the last ten years.

* * *

"Chōji!" he smiled and stood from his meeting with the village elders at the sight of his best friend coming in.

"Hey Shikamaru, we caught a terrorist, they're recruiting…" Chōji started.

"Missing-nin, I know," he admitted as they walked. He noticed Karui with Chōji but decided to ignore her as he listened to everything his friend had been dealing with. Shikamaru frowned at the news of Ino interrogating the terrorist that Karui and Chōji had capture but he also remembered feeling her touch his mind.

She didn't belong in Torture & Interrogation, and he was standing beside that fact. However, he remembered all the information she had relayed to him earlier today and sighed.

"She's not leaving that unit," he stated through gritted teeth as he pinched his brow and fought the desire to smoke another cigarette. Before the war he had been a once a memory kind of smoker, he would occasionally smoke to feel a little closer to Asuma. However, since the war he had found his cigarette cravings coming more frequently and viciously and he had been feeding that craving. Yesterday he had had a half a pack of cigarettes and that had scared him so much that he found himself fighting his own craving to calm his mind.

"I don't think so," Chōji sighed.

"Fuck!" he hissed.

"Did either of you two think to just shut up and put up with it while she figures it out on her own?" a voice sliced through his thoughts and he looked over to the gold eyed, redheaded trouble maker.

"This isn't your business," he spat out sharply. He didn't particularly like Karui, she was too angry at everything for him get a real read on her, and she seemed to be a wild card when dealing with people.

"Just saying," she snapped back as she stomped off and Shikamaru felt the desire to smoke a pack of cigarettes to relieve the tension building in him. however, he wouldn't.

"Ino's not quitting," he sighed.

"I don't think so," Chōji admitted and he frowned. He hated to admit that the redhead might be right and he really despised the thought of taking up her side because he didn't like it when he had to just shut up and put up with Ino's rash decisions.

"I guess Karui's right, we're going to have to shut up and put up with this," he sighed and Chōji sighed as well.

"I don't like it," Chōji grumbled. "I saw Morino Ibiki before I left and it… Shikamaru, she can't seriously want to work for him!"

"Chōji! If we want to keep her I think we're going to just have to shut up and put up with this!" he admitted with some self-loathing. He didn't want Ino to be a torturer and he didn't want to deal with her heartbreak from that job.

But he couldn't lose her as his friend.

He had a strange desire to chat with Temari now as he stared up at the clouds and wished to be one of them again.

* * *

 **Another reminder here, all of the Until the Day I... Stories are slow to start! There are no instant couples in these stories! They are being built up to though so just be patient with me!**

 **Besides I'm relatively certain that these are labeled Drama and not Romance.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	20. Part 1: Chapter 20

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 20**

She woke in the morning and sighed as she stretched and slowly got to her feet. She felt so… loose, it felt fantastic as she made her way out of her room to the communal breakfast of their suit. Sakura was already awake and sitting at the table to her shock as she sat across from the pinkette.

"Any plans today?" Temari mused.

"Relax, enjoy the day and be pampered," Sakura grinned.

"I can drink to that," she decided as she cheered her cup of tea as she made a plate.

"Me as well," she agreed.

"And what about you?"

"Same, though I would so love to get Ino and Hinata drunk," she mused.

"That's this evening's plan," Sakura decided as they cheered their tea and continued eating breakfast. The other girls started to emerge from their rooms and Temari chuckled at seeing so many sleepy heads, everyone had the worst case of bedhead she had seen but she didn't mind

"So hungry," Tenten said as she chomped down on everything in sight. If pregnancy made women that hungry then Temari was going to hold off on having children for the time being. Though she had received another missive from Kankurō that the council was once again pestering Gaara and him for heirs to the Kazekage's line. Temari was only happy that they were not brave enough to bother her for children; yet.

More than likely she would be expected to make a political marriage which would be profitable to her village. Until then she would be off limits for pestering in the council's eyes. Temari wasn't certain if that was something she should be grateful for or worried about as she ate her breakfast and watched the girls eat. Tenten devoured everything around her, it was as if the girl were a black hole or something. Watching Tenten had her pulling her own meal closer to her as she ate. Sakura and Ino did the same from what she observed.

"What about you Ino?" Temari asked, it was time for pay back and she was certain that she would have Sakura on her side for the interrogation.

"Huh?" Ino looked up from her pudding then.

"Well, yesterday you were demanding to know about my love life, which doesn't exist, so now I'm asking about yours'," Temari explained then. Ino paled as she smiled nervously.

"Uh… no, nope, nuh-uh, I'm going to focus on my apprenticeship," she said which had Temari frowning knowing a liar when she heard one.

"Really?"

"Well, if a guy asks, and he's decent to look at and semi intelligent then I'm not about to say no!" Ino explained which had everyone chuckling.

"And what about you Hinata!?" Ino smiled fox-ishly then.

"Me?"

"Yes you," Ino said. Temari eyed the blushing Hyūga with interest then and smiled. This was turning out to be the most fun she had ever had with other girls as they continue interrogating each other throughout breakfast. It was entertaining.

* * *

Shikamaru looked out over the village from his perch as he was hunched over thinking of a way to trap some more of the terrorist. They were in need of more information and he knew it as he pondered what he was going to do about this. There was going to need be a way to funnel these people where he wanted them to go and then he would collect them all. However, there was also the other problem of how to funnel them. It shouldn't be that difficult but at the same time, herding cats and rats was difficult.

"What are you planning?" a voice as it munched on chips. Shikamaru looked over to his lumbering friend and frowned a bit.

"How to catch hiding rats who are trained shinobi," he admitted and Chōji nodded as he took a seat on the perch. They both stared out at the village they were currently aiding.

"That will be difficult," Chōji admitted and Shikamaru sighed. Difficult wasn't even the half of it.

There was a book of the missing and presumed dead for all of the nations involved with Fourth Great Shinobi War, and with that list they didn't know who was involved and who was not. They were probably going to need to know how they recruit their recruits. And once they knew that they were probably going to need the psychological evaluations on the missing and presumed dead shinobi to decide who the likely canidits for the recruitment would be.

This was going to be a fucking nightmare from a planning standpoint.

"Chōji, this will be the hardest thing to do since the war. We will need to learn how to be a step ahead of something that has no nation, no defined structure, and no known leaders. They are not bound to nations, rules, or organization, they are loose and free. They are quiet, and they insight terror, we do not know their goals, intentions or their purpose. This is going to be a game of shadows, probably with disastrous losses when lose," Shikamaru admitted.

"Then we're just going to have to not lose," Chōji decided and Shikamaru smiled a bit.

"That is easier said and not done," he admitted and they both stared out at the village and everything around them. If the carnage of the villages attacked by these rogue shinobi were anything to go by then there were going to be horrific losses when they lost to this organization.

"True, but I'm sure you'll figure it out, you have figured everything else out," Chōji pointed out. his friend's confidence in him was astounding to him as they sat there. Sometimes he wondered where Chōji and Naruto got this faith in him, mostly because he had no idea what he was doing.

Sure he could create all the plans he wanted, but actually having them work how they were supposed to work was a different matter. And it terrified him at times being looked up to like now.

* * *

Temari sighed as she leaned back in the sun and crossed her ankles as she stretched out. This felt delightful this afternoon.

"So, the drinking plans?" a voice asked. Temari lazily opened her eye then and smirked at the pinkette who took the seat beside her.

"They are on!" Temari decided with a grin.

"Perfect, I have gotten the sake," Sakura informed her.

"The good stuff?"

"Of course."

"What kind of a drinking is Ino?"

"Lightweight all the way, I have no about Hinata though," she admitted.

"Perfect, we get them both drunk and have fun!"

"That's the plan!" Sakura mused.

"I like this plan."

"I do too."

Temari sighed in relaxation as she leant back and savored having nothing to do. She had never had nothing to do. In her village she had to be strong, tough and she couldn't ever appear weak; even in the face of the monster Gaara had been, she could never appear weak.

Work also always had to be done and she had to keep up her family's name by doing her duty for her village.

Now she was doing nothing and it felt good. There was nothing for her to worry about or plan to do at the moment. There were no missions to think about and nothing to prove as she sat there in the sun savoring this moment.

"Hey, Temari!" Ino grinned as she walked up to then. Temari looked at the blonde again and smiled.

"Hey Ino," she greeted. It was shocking to her how much she was liking these two.

"Temari, if I asked a favor of you would you do it?" Ino asked her.

"That would entirely depend upon what you want," Temari said as she opened her eyes again and looked the platinum girl over. There was something going on at this moment, but Temari was not entirely certain what she was after.

"Nothing too big, I just want to know if you would do a favor for me," Ino smiled sweetly and Temari felt like there was a trap in whatever Ino was going to ask of her.

"Ino, I don't know what you're asking but the answer is no." she decided that was the safest course of action.

"Please! I'll never ask anything of you ever again, just this teeny, tiny favor!" Ino pouted and Sakura sighed.

"Whatever she wants she's just going to badger you until you say yes," Sakura warned her.

"Yes, but I'm afraid that if I say yes that I'm going to be doing something dastardly and I'm not certain I want to do something dastardly," Temari sighed.

"No! It's a harmless favor, I promise," Ino assured her which had Temari frowning a bit as she sat up straight.

"Just what do you want?" Temari asked.

"I just want a favor," Ino smiled.

"Uh-huh," Temari replied skeptically.

"Just say yes, and if you regret it later, you can spar with Sakura," Ino decided.

"Don't drag me into this!" Sakura protested.

"The answer is still: depends on what you want." Temari replied.

* * *

Shikamaru grumbled a little as he walked with Chōji to go eat dinner with the other shinobi. Mostly he didn't want to deal with the exhausting kunoichi known as Karui. He didn't have the patience to deal with her antics tonight. However, he didn't want to disappoint his friend which was why he was walking to dinner with Chōji.

"Shikamaru!" he looked at the bright eyed genin sitting at the table.

"Hey Konohamaru," he said as he sat at the table. He noticed that Karui wasn't here and he decided to relax a bit. It was exhausting having her attack everything he had to say or every order he issued. It was truly exhausting dealing with Karui. Which was why he was never really eager for the meals with his company.

"Shikamaru, we're vastly improving this village's gardens," Moegi informed him chirpily. Moegi was not a particularly spunky girl, but from what he had observed of her she was annoyingly chirpy and sweet.

"That's good," he agreed then.

"Sir, we've found a supply route for another cell," one of his jonin; Ebisu said.

"Follow it," Shikamaru said then.

"Of course," Ebisu replied as they ate. They continued discussing the matters of the village, of what they were to do, of what was going on with their assignments and he continued to make his way through the meal.

Without Karui the meal was rather peaceful as he stood up and walked back to the village council. He was still trying to make peace with the civilians and it was a challenging thing trying to get the civilians to trust them again. However, the word was getting around from civilian village to civilian village, and people were no longer running from them whenever they appeared.

Granted people weren't happy about seeing them. But they were slowly making progress in his mind as he sat with the village council to learn what other work needed to be done.

"What else do we have to work on?" Shikamaru asked as he looked at the council there. He had found it was simpler to just let the villages give him the information he needed rather than fighting with the. Also, this was their village and they were only here to give them assisstence where they needed it. He was not going to be taking over their villages.

"The outer farms have suffered heavy damage, the terrorist as you are calling them attack our supply containers," a council member said.

"We've found their route and a group of jonin are tracking them now," he said and on went a very boring meeting as he created a mental list of duties for everyone.

Including Karui.

Once the meeting was concluded he stood up and walked to the inn again to rest. part of him was feeling a bit lonely with the mental connection between himself, Ino and Chōji gone, and that dull ache was only more blatant since Ino's touch in his mind. However, he was trying to formulate how to get in her good graces again as he laid down on his futon and stared up at the ceiling.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	21. Part 1: Chapter 21

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 21**

Temari looked up from setting up the table, she and Sakura had sent Ino off to go get Tenten and Hinata, and now she was looking at those three.

"We're playing 'Have You Ever…'," she informed the girls. Hinata paled, Tenten perked up a bit, and Ino was giddy about this as they sat at the table.

"No, no Temari, it's I have never, not have you ever," Ino corrected her.

"So long as we drink I don't care," Temari admitted flatly. Sakura sniggered at that, but Temari was being very serious. She wanted strong alcohol in her system, and she wanted it now. Everyone gathered around the table and she smirked as Sakura poured the shots and everyone sat there.

"How about we have Sakura start," Ino decided.

"Alright," Sakura shrugged and they all took up their drinks. "Now the rules are simple, instead of lowering fingers people who have done the implied never done event take a shot, everyone has three 'I have never' and then we go around the circle, and on we go, round and round until we have our first pass out, or run out of booze!"

Temari chuckled at this childish game but it was all for fun at the moment so she sat back.

"I have never kissed a girl," Sakura started. Ino and Tenten both took a drink and she blinked at them.

"Sexual experimentation," Ino grinned.

"A dare from Neji," Tenten chuckled.

"I have never walked in public without my clothes," Sakura said. Ino drank again, but so did Temari reluctantly and every laughed. The game went on and on though.

Ino's questions were a bit slurred when they got to her, and Temari found it amusing as the blonde thought up raunchy, detailed events to have never done. It was hilarious to say the least. The Hyūga's questions were rather shy and rather prude, but the fact she was quickly turning red from her own shyness and the alcohol Temari just giggled.

After about two hours later and Ino was a bouncy, giggling drunk who was dancing to imaginary music and pulling Hinata along with her.

"You two are still sober," Tenten mutter.

"I'd be a shame to my master if I got drunk so easily on cheap rice wine," Sakura said indignantly but she was a bit red. Well, to Temari all three of them were a bit red.

"Please," hic!, "Suna alcohol stronger…" hic! She managed to hiccup then and they were all in a fit of giggles.

"Temari! Temari! Temari! Will you do that favor for me!?" Ino giggled and slurred for her.

"Swure," she hiccupped and everyone giggled again.

"Gweat! You'rwa taking Shikamura, I mean, Shikameru, no, Shikamaru! On a date!" Ino declared in a slur.

"Sounds," hic! "Good to me! He's got a cute butt," she admitted drunkenly and everyone was laughing hysterically, even herself as she fell back.

"This is," hic! "Good stuff, Sakura,' hic! "Buy more next," hic! "Time," she yawned then and hiccupped again before her eyelids were too heavy to hold up and she decided to take a nap.

* * *

Shikamaru woke to a hawk tapping his window at the break of dawn and he groaned as he rubbed his face. He didn't want to get up, it was a drag and he didn't want to have to get up and his alarm was likely about to go off. The hawk persisted it's perpetual tapping on the glass when his alarm went off. Groaning he moved to dampen the alarm and to get up to get the bird. He swore when he stubbed his toe and opened the window. The animal hopped in, he yawned as he pulled the pouch off of it.

The seal was from the Hokage, the Sixth Hokage to be exact and he opened the scroll. The bird just ruffled it's feathers and made itself at home on his makeshift desk.

Reading over the contents of the letter he groaned at the announcement. Sighing he decided he had gotten away with this project a lot longer than he had expected and wasn't that surprised that the council had finally noticed his absence and bother Kakashi about it.

He was due home in five weeks, by the end of September to be exact. According to the council they were still not going to fund his proposal, which was a drag because he was relatively certain that presenting it to the Five Kage was going to make their voices in the matter mute, and then he was going to have his plan in action. It was probably going to really piss them off, but there came a certain point where it wasn't about the profit, it was about the right thing. And his program was the right thing.

Also, according to this missive he would be spending the week of his return evaluating the Uchiha strenuously. The council, the Kage, and the Shinobi Allied Forces were all demanding to have this thorough evaluation before the decided the 'official' fate of the Uchiha. Shikamaru didn't like the sound of that, but honestly he didn't mind.

When he had last evaluated Sasuke he hadn't been all that bad, just a bit quiet and jumpy. However, he would admit that the last Uchiha had calmed down considerably.

Anyway, he sat down and started writing his reply to the Hokage. Once it was written up he rolled up the dried ink in the scroll, but his crest on it to seal it shut and then slipped it into the pouch on the hawk's back. The hawk flew out the window the moment he opened it and Shikamaru sighed. This was a drag, and now he was going to be dealing the the council, the Uchiha, and the Kage when he returned, not to mention the Shinobi Allied Forces duties he seemed to be accumulating.

Dragging a hand over his face he went for his vest and pulled out another cigarette, he was going to have to start cutting back on these things.

* * *

The light… it was evil, she groaned as she covered her splitting head with her arm then dared to crack open an eye to look at the carnage around her. Sakura and Tenten were chatting quietly as they ate breakfast. Ino was sprawled out on the couch with her bra in her fingers. And Hinata was curled up under the table.

"Ow," she groaned.

"I have to admit, you are serious competition to my drinking title," Sakura informed her.

"Not so loud, it echos," she muttered as she rubbed her temples. Her mouth felt as if someone had let her sleep with cotton balls in it, and her body felt unbelievably heavy as she slowly sat up, to squint at the girls.

"Here, this is what Neji made me for hang overs, works miracles," Tenten said as Temari crawled to the table and sat there. The tea was poured and slowly she brought it to her lips since it didn't feel as if she were about to lose her stomach she decided to just down the concoction at her lips. It was unbelievably bitter as she downed it and put the dup down.

"Did I do anything I should regret?" Temari asked. She had a vague reloclection of agreeing to a favor from Ino, and something about Shikamaru's butt. Odd, she knew, but it was all blurry and vague.

"You agreed to Ino's favor to go on a date with Shikamaru, and apparently he has a cute butt, according to you," Sakura filled in for her as a heaping plate of deliciously greasy food was placed before her.

"I said what!?" she shrieked then grabbed her head as it split in half from her splitting headache and her stupidity.

"Yup, and giggled," Tenten confirmed for her. "Oh, and Ino had me promise to remind her that she got your agreement to go on the date, so just know I'm honor bound to inform her truthfully that you agreed to go on a date."

"Damn," she hissed as she took a tentative bite of her food. "Can't you lie to her?"

"She's essentially a telepath, no," Tenten said.

"But I could," Sakura giggled.

"According to her your head is defective," Tenten snapped and Temari rubbed her temples as she cursed herself for letting her guard down for a night of fun when Ino was rather like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"Don't worry Temari, I bet the date will be fun," Sakura smiled.

"He's my little brother's age," she sourily pointed out. now, if his age didn't happen to be a gap of three years between her and him, and he happened to be her age, she'd have jumped his bones. Face it, he was attractive, extremely smart, didn't bore her half to death and he did not treat her like a damsel in distress. What wasn't there to like?

Well, there was that three year gap making him seventeen, almost eighteen and her twenty, almost twenty-one.

"Is it true you've slept with a troglodyte?" Tenten asked her.

"Uh…"

* * *

"Hey, boss man! There's a huge storm rolling our way!" Konohomaru shouted down at him as he helped teach a group of kids the basic self-defense.

"Why kind of storm?" he asked, for there wasn't a single cloud in the sky as he dismissed the kids and walked over to the little tower that Konohomaru had constructed for himself to be a look out.

"The kind with arrows," the boy answered as he yelped and dove out of his tower, they crashed together then.

"Ow," he grumbled. However, he saw the arrow where the boy's head had been.

"I counted fourteen of them," he said as they both scrambled to their feet. Shikamaru cursed not having Ino there then, her sensory skills would have alerted them to the coming threat much quicker than he anticipated.

"What do we do?" the genin asked him and he thought quickly.

"Get Karui and Chōji, then you take the villagers into the mansion at the north end and you, Mogei, Udon and guard the civilians," he said and they parted. Shikamaru took a steading breath and he stood in the village gates then. The dust kicked up from the coming shinobi spoke of their arrogance and he felt two presences on his left and his right.

Karui wasn't Ino, and she didn't know how Ino-Shika-Chō worked but he wasn't going to bitch about it since they were drastically outnumbered and Karui was pretty good with that blade she carried around on her hip.

"Chōji," he said when there was an incoming fire animal. Chōji just expanded as he intercepted the fire. Karui leapt forward as she raised her blade and he let the shadows become his to command as they sprung to life for him.

* * *

Temari sighed in content bliss as she sat in the hot spring and decided that for as much as she disliked water she could get used to this. Also, this was exactly what her dehydrated, hung over body needed.

"Hey Temari," Ino smiled.

"I still hate that I have somehow been suckered into date by you with a guy, three years my junior!" she informed the silver girl flatly.

"Ah, come on, I'm sure you two will have a lot of fun!" Ino pointed out. Temari didn't dare say she was inclined to agree with the younger woman because that would give up her right to be mad rather than giddy. At least, she thought it was giddiness which had her stomach in a fit of flutters. She wasn't entirely certain having never been on a date that wasn't mission set up or political and honestly, they all bored her.

"He's three years younger than me." She stated again.

"Psht, you two will have fun, besides, please do this," Ino pleaded.

"I said I'd do it, so I'll do it," Temari sourly assured. "But I expect a detailed, thorough reason for me having to do this date!"

"Fine!" Ino rolled her eyes then.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	22. Part 1: Chapter 22

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 22**

"Alright princess, we're walking and you're going to start talking," Temari snapped to Ino who giggled nervously as they walked.

"About what?" Ino asked, Temari frowned as she lifted a brow dangerously at the younger woman.

"About this date you're having me go on, why I'm going, and why it's so damn important. And don't think about evading me, telepathy or no, I will get answers out of you; Yamanaka," she said coldly which had the younger woman sighing.

"The truth is I want a distraction for Shikamaru, so we can go back to being friends but he'll start leaving my decision to be in the T&I unit alone," Ino managed to get out in one breath.

"Is that it?" Temari blinked in shock at such a simple reason, and a stupid reason for her to go on a date. She was nothing but a distraction? That hurt a little, she was a tiny bit flattered that Ino had picked her, but the little hurt outweighed the flattery.

"Well yeah, also, he likes you," Ino stated flatly.

"Shikamaru is a friend," Temari said firmly. She was not going to date someone her little brother's age, that would just be weird. Also, there was the matter of him being the laziest shinobi of Leaf, and she didn't want to date a guy who wouldn't put in the effort for her. She had standards!

Granted they were minimal when she thought about them, but they were there!

"Please, I've seen in his head, and I've seen how he looks at you, you've never been a friend to him," Ino snorted. That was a stab to the gut to Temari as she stared in horror at the young blonde.

"What!? Yes! We are!" Temari argued, they had to be friends, she couldn't think about what it was like to not have him as a friend. She had never had a real friend before him, and she didn't want it to turn out to be a lie.

"Yeah, you are friends, but that's not how he sees you. Temari, he thinks you're pretty, he likes talking to you, you honestly keep him guessing and engaged, and he's always found you fascinating even if he says troublesome," Ino dismissed and Temari slowly felt that stab to the gut lessen. Staring at the silvery blonde she looked down to the road they walked on.

Guys didn't see her, they never had, and the few who had were weird. It was part of the reason she was relieved to be the Kazekage's daughter; her marriage would be arranged. It was also part of the reason she dreaded being the Kazekage's daughter; her marriage would be arranged. Besides, no guy was ever going to want to date a bossy bitch like her. She had been told this on numerous occasions since she had been an Academy student.

"I don't think it's a good idea to use me as your distraction," she finally decided and Ino sighed.

"Please!"

* * *

After a gruesome, bloody, horrifying night the terrorists were subdued and he had them all tied up rather neatly. He stood there panting as he leant on his knees and sighed. This was not going to get easier, and he knew that there was going to be more challenging times ahead of them with these terrorists popping up everywhere. Sighing he stood up and looked at Chōji and Karui.

"What do we do with them?" Chōji asked.

"I say we slice them all into little pieces and feed them to the sharks!" Karui said with a malicious smile. He frowned.

"Yeah, let's not do that," he replied blandly as he looked down at those idiots he had captured. More than likely there was going to need to be a court and trial set up which would transcend the nations to punish these men. However, that was a problem he would worry about later. For now he just needed to figure out what to do with the living ones. Looked the prisoners over he recognized many of the faces as those from the missing and he sighed as he rubbed his brow and pulled out another cigarette. Why the hell were so many of the MIA shinobi turning up in terrorist cells?

Scratching his head his mind wandered six thousand different directions before he settled on sending a bird to Kakashi to summon an ANBU team to take these guys in. It was the least hassle and he was looking for simplicity at this point as he stared down at these men. This was going to be a drag, and it was going to create more work.

He didn't want Ino in Torture & Interrogation, but it appeared that the less he wanted her there, the more work he was sending her way. It was a large contradiction in his mind as he possessed these men's bodies with his shadows and marched them to the safest place to put them.

"Karui, are you good at seals?" he demanded once he had them all in a basement. The injured were moaning in pain and he scowled.

"I wouldn't say they're great," she replied hotly. He frowned; did the woman just live to create trouble.

"Seal them in this cellar!" he snapped. She sighed and did as she was told, just as she was about to complete the seal he dove out of the room and boundaries as it started glowing and he sighed.

"They're coming in larger groups," Chōji observed when he finally got to his feet and he sighed.

"I've noticed, and I noticed that none of these ones were rigged to be suicides," he said as he finished his cigarette and snubbed it out. Looking at his large friend he sighed.

"Look, I'm going to message Kakashi, you guys take the group to the next village like we scheduled, I'll stay behind with the prisoners," Shikamaru decided. "I'll catch up to you guys once they're taken care of."

* * *

Temari returned to the Nara home late afternoon, they had walked at a slow, leasurely pace for Tenten, who was still very terrified about losing her baby. Which was understandable in Temari's mind as she pulled off her sandals and walked into the house.

The sobs were the first thing to catch Temari's attention as she set her fan down. Silently she padded through the Nara home to find Yoshino hugging a shirt and crying. It didn't take a genius to see the strong woman was still grieving her loss, which was what had Temari walking over to Shikamaru's mother and gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

Kneeling down to the older woman's level she just sat with Yoshino who's sobs were finally subsiding as the sun was setting.

"I just… I found his shirt…" she cried silently.

"I understand," Temari admitted. She had been the same way after her mother had passed. Finding odd things of her mother's as a child was a quick way to set her off into tears until she realized crying didn't bring the dead back. When she had figured that out she had decided to become the strongest kunoichi of the village to make her father proud.

"I miss him, I didn't think I'd miss him this much," Yoshino murmured. "I always figured we were going to grow old together, see our grandchildren and watch Shikamaru's family, I just… I could forget that I was married to a shinobi when he was the Hokage's advisor, like the Nara always are."

"It's understandable," Temari admitted. She would, if she ever did get married, want someone whom she could grow old with and watch her children have children. But she didn't know the pain of losing that someone if she were to lose them. It wasn't something she wanted to dwell on either as she sat there with Yoshino.

"You're a great girl Temari," Yoshino admitted then which had her stiffening. "I can see why Shikaku liked you."

"I barely knew Shikaku, but he seemed to be a good man," she admitted then.

"He was, and Shikamaru turned out a lot like him. Please tell me that you'll be a good friend to Shikamaru, he needs a good friend right now," Yoshino admitted.

"Your son is perhaps one of my best friends, and I do not have many friends," she admitted. Though she was relatively certain she had at least gained two more friends this weekend with Sakura, Ino, Hiinata, and Tenten. Temari was certain that she could count Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino on her short list of friends.

"That's nice to hear," Yoshino murmured.

"Yoshino! We're home!" Temari heard Matsuri walk into the house.

"Oh, and Temari, thank you for sending such lovely girls, they've been a joy to have around this quiet mansion," Yoshino said as she stood. Temari just blinked.

Yakata? Matsuri? Wonderful?

Had she landed on a different planet and not notice that!?

Sighing she shook her head and got to her feet.

* * *

Shikamaru was looking down at his prisoners when a village elder walked up to him. Neither of them spoke for a long time, but Shikamaru had nothing to say.

He was trying to figure out how shinobi who had fought in the Fourth Great Shinobi War had been twisted up and around and then flipped inside out to be like this and to follow the perverse teachings of a man who had been delusional. It just didn't make any sense to him, and he could decipher most of what people did; he was a strategist ad understanding one's opponent was the key to winning a war or battle or fight.

So what had warped these people?

They had seen the chaos and madness Uchiha Madara had inflicted upon the shinobi and civilian world. They had seen the carnage of war. And they had probably felt the pains and losses of their comrades like he had. So what had driven them to be like this?

"Why did they attack us?" the elder finally asked.

"I don't know, yet, other than they are predators," Shikamaru admitted and he went to pull out another cigarette, he scowled upon seeing his pack (which had been full this morning), was empty.

"The Infinate Tsukiyomi shall be complete, Uchiha Madara will rise again and lead this world into a true peace! You are nothing, we follow Uchiha Madara and shall take what we want to bring about true, everlasting peace!" a prisoner spat out.

"Uchiha Madara is dead," Shikamaru replied icily. Turning on his heel he left the demented and dillusioned to their own devices for the moment as he walked with the elder.

"That Uchiha fella, I thought they were extinct!" the elder informed him.

"No, the last one is currentling at the Leaf," Shikamaru admitted as they walked together. he took up his residence where he could easily see the sealed cellar and sat down. The elder joined him then and neither said a word.

The more terrorists that he ran into, the more delusional they seemed to be, and this wasn't an encouraging sign in his mind as he sat there staring at the prison. Whatever was twisting these people up and around and making them forget the shinobi way was obviously powerful

Was it Madara's beliefs? Or was it someone else who was pulling the strings behind the scenes? Shikamaru frowned as he pondered this and decided that when he returned to the Leaf that he was going to have to have a talk with the Sixth Hokage about his theories and then he was going to speak to the Kage Summit.

There was now more on his mind than his proposal as he tried to figure out where to go from here. it wasn't going to be easy, but then this was the most ultimate game he was ever going to play. It was going to be important that he move everything exactly right.

All there was to lose was lives and he wasn't losing anyone else. There had been enough loss in this world already.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	23. Part 1: Chapter 23

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 23**

Temari found the coming weeks to be; in the famous words of Nara Shikamaru; 'A Drag!'. It was a genuine pain in the ass to try not to die of boredom at this point.

There was nothing to do as she struggled not to go insane in September.

The only good thing to come was by hawk and it was at the end of September when she received the official day of the Kage summit from her brother. She was actually tempted to shout her joy from the rooftops with this information but she didn't as she waited some more. Which brought her to today as she sat on the porch folding the laundry she had helped Yoshino with; which was sadly something she was considering exciting at this point.

"Still babysitting?" a lazy voice asked behind her which had her stiffening a bit as she remembered the deal she had with Ino and then she shoved it out of her head. Turning her head a bit she scowled at him.

"Smoking now?" she inquired seeing the cigarette on his lips.

"Yeah, Ino's driving me insane," Shikamaru sighed as he came over to her. Temari was quick to pull the cigarette from him and snubbed it out, it was a disgusting habit and she refused to let him ruin his health because he began smoking. She returned to the clothes as she worked.

"You're driving Ino insane too," she said flatly as she recalled the dreaded deal. When she got her hands on Ino; after the date; she was strangling the telepath! Well, she wasn't a true telepath, but one got the meaning.

"I figured," he sighed as he flopped down beside her. Temari just tried to ignore his presence to be normal. She had been having… issues with him late, well, at least in her thoughts she was having issues. She blamed Ino.

"Have you returned for the Kage summit?" she asked as she finally folded the last of the clothing.

"Yeah, I'm also here to evaluate the Uchiha," Shikamaru informed her. Leaning back she examined him as he stared at the rafters.

"I believe that he is still healing, but should be suitable for normal society," she admitted then. He sighed.

"It's just a drag," he admitted.

"Karui?" she inquired.

"The entire envoy has returned," he admitted. She nodded and then she took a page out of his book as she stretched out and laid beside him to stare at the rafters as well.

"Gaara will be here in a few days," she said.

"That means the other Kage will also be here soon," Shikamaru concluded.

"More than likely," she admitted. "I foresee problems with the Uchiha, Sakura, and the Raikage when he arrives," she admitted.

"I doubt it, from my understanding Sakura put him through the hospital wall the first time," Shikamaru said.

"She did."

"Then I'd be more worried about the council and the official verdict of this," he replied.

"Shikamaru, are you still proposing to the Kage your plan?" she asked then. The relationship between civilians and shinobi should be better.

"Yeah, but we have another problem that transcends all the Nations," he said.

"Huh?"

"Terrorists, there's radical groups of rogue shinobi forming who are following the radical beliefs of Uchiha Madara, or some variation and are attacking the civilians. It will probably escalate once they start organizing themselves and they will start attacking the shinobi as well," he filled in for her.

Inhaling sharply, she tried to wrap her mind around this as she thought of what this could mean.

Had they traded was deranged madman for a group of followers he didn't know he had? Or had they just created another war to be fought amongst the shinobi after having survived the Fourth Great Shinobi War? And why were these people being swayed by a dead madman?

She didn't know, but she didn't like the way her thoughts were going as they traveled down the darker paths of her mind. Whatever was going to come, whatever else the shinobi world had to face, whatever was going to happen in their world, this was the next new threat. Frowning, she thought this over as she looked up at the rafters of the Nara home.

"Whatever is coming we are going to have to act swiftly," she said.

"I agree, these cults only grow more and more radicle."

"Then we shall not negotiate with them, if they want to invoke terror in our world we will hunt them down and destroy them or return them to their nation for punishment. We shall show no weaknesses," she decided.

"Again, I agree, but this is a matter for the Kage, they are the ones who will have to decide what to do with this information," he said.

"Do we have information on these terrorists?" she was asking not because she didn't believe him but rather because she hadn't even known about these terrorist creating these cells or cults or whatever.

"Yeah, I've brought in a few," he admitted. "About a month ago," he informed her.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, they attacked one of the villages we were rebuilding and we caught them. I brought them in last month," he explained.

"Huh, I hadn't heard," she muttered.

"Not surprising, we kept it pretty quiet," he said with a shrug and pulled out a cigarette. She pulled the cigarette from his lips before he lit it and flicked it off the porch.

"Stop smoking," she said absently. "Do the Kage know about this?"

"The Hokage does, I asked Kakashi to send me an ANBU team to help bring the ones Chōji, Karui, and I captured in," he said.

"Ah, well this is important, we'll have to share it with the Kage," she decided as she stared at the rafters. It was definitely going to change everything they were going to be working on. It was a terrifying thought in her mind, but she didn't know if this was going to be a goal to unite the Allied Shinobi Forces permanently or if it would tear them all apart.

* * *

He found himself craving the flavor of nicotine on his lips and he was a bit annoyed with Temari for having flicked his last cigarette off the porch. But he was too lazy go find it.

"How have things been in the village?" he asked her.

"Quiet, Sasuke hasn't had any more episodes, at least not in the village," she clarified. "Naruto, Sai, Sakura, Kakashi and Sasuke all have a rough spar in the morning, but that's about the most exciting thing going on here."

"How's Ino?" he asked her.

"Busy, but if you brought in those terrorists then more than likely that's what she's been busy with," Temari said.

He frowned as he stared at his rafters and tried not to think about Ino prying into the minds of those demented shinobi who were followers of Uchiha Madara. It was a horrid thought which had his stomach churning with disgust. One of his dearest friends, who was kind and innocent, was diving into the heads of monsters, he didn't like it.

But he was going to go talk to her about this, and then he was following Karui's advise and he was just going to shut up and put up with her being in Intelligence. Still, he didn't like it.

"Look, I know you don't like Ino being in Intelligence, but I'm going to tell you this once, Shikamaru. She's very proud of herself and what she's doing there, you're not going to like it but she likes what she's doing. I've been talking to her all month and she's actually enjoying everything she's learning," Temari said stiffly.

He sighed then and looked at Temari briefly before looking away from her.

"It's not that she isn't capable, its… she's like my sister, and I don't, I don't want her hurt," he muttered and he could feel the blush on his cheeks as he stared at the rafters and tried not to admit how much he cared about Ino.

"Shikamaru, she's hurt more by you than whatever she does in Intelligence," she said then and he sighed hearing the truth in her words.

He didn't know if he should like this situation or if he should just tolerate it, but it appeared he wasn't going to have a choice in the matter as he sat up and stared out at the gardens. Tolerating Ino's decision was going to be the only way he kept his friend, and possibly reestablished his link with her and Chōji. Looking at the porch he sighed and then he looked at Temari.

"Are you and Ino… friends?" he asked uncertainly.

"Actually, yes," she admitted as she sat up beside him and smiled. "She's a very charming girl, a bit brash, nosey, demanding and bossy, but she's been a good friend to me since we started being friends."

"That's good," he sighed and stared out at the garden.

"Do you know when your brother is arriving here?" he asked then wanting to think about something other than his personal problems.

"I think tomorrow or the day after, he wants to be here before the Kage summit is officially convened," she said.

"Have you talked to him about the diplomatic outreach?" Shikamaru asked then.

"I believe that is why he wants to come early, he would like to discuss it with you in more depth in person," she replied.

He refrained from snorting at the thought of having a conversation with Gaara. Gaara wasn't one to talk really, though Shikamaru knew this was an important topic and one to be discussed in the fullest.

"Gaara doesn't really talk," he said.

"No, but he listens, and he does ask questions," she pointed out. Shikamaru didn't agree or disagree with her because he just didn't care about whatever was going on with Gaara. What he wanted to know was if the Kage would support his proposal. It was imperative that they bridge the gap between shinobi and civilians, especially with these terrorists popping up to wreak havoc upon their world.

"Want to play a game of Go?" he asked her.

"Sure," she nodded and he smirked as they both got up and walked into the house.

Sitting across from her Shikamaru took the first moment he had had in months to just take a deep breath and to enjoy his company. Looking at Temari was a beautiful bonus, even in his mind. She was a stunning woman, and he smirked as they started the game.

She was a stunning woman with a brain.

The only problem with her was her tyrannical tendencies.

But he was overlooking that as he went about crushing her in Go. She put up a fair challenge, and fought hard to keep her place on the game, but he was simply superior to her in the long term strategy. However, some of her moves were devastating to him as they played.

Finally he dominated the board and smirked at her in triumph.

"Again!" she snapped.

"Alright, but don't cry if you lose again," he teased, her green eyes flashed defiantly as they set up the board again and started playing.

"how do you think this summit is going to go?" she asked him as they played.

"I'm not sure, I had thought that the initial sentence for Sasuke was his sentence, but I don't know with this," he admitted.

"I think there is probably something important for all the Kage to be gathering here again, and I don't think that it's the Uchiha," Temari replied.

"Perhaps there are terrorists in the other Nations, that would be enough to have all the Kage coming here to discuss solutions," he admitted. And they weren't as interconnected in the intelligence area of the shinobi world as the Allied Shinobi Forces claimed to be. Every village had it's own agenda and nation to defend in the end, and alliances were something which could be broken.

However, he didn't think the Allied Shinobi Forces were going to dissolve any time soon.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	24. Part 1: Chapter 24

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 24**

Temari was off of the Uchiha duty when she received word from the Hokage that a Suna hawk had arrived today and her brother was coming. She was ready for Gaara's company at this moment, she didn't want to deal with the drama of Matsuri and Yakata; and because Gaara was still unused to his fangirls that was probably the reason he had sent them her way, so he could have a break. Cheater.

No matter.

It was a nice change in her routine, especially since Shikamaru had returned home yesterday.

That thought stopped her cold. Since when had she thought of the Nara estate as home, and since when would it be nice that Shikamaru had come around!? Temari slowly analyzed this train of thought as she stood there leaning on her fan at the gate.

This was all Ino's fault! Yes, she blamed the silvery blonde witch for this mess with her head! Temari hadn't had this problem before Ino had gotten her to agree to a night of drinking and fun (and good Kami had it been a blast! But she wasn't going to say that aloud). Thinking about what was going on in her head and what she thought about Shikamaru though was truly terrifying.

Immediately she shut off that train of thought and looked up when she heard the pounding of feet as she straightened up. Just because he was her brother did not mean she would not try to be presentable for her Kazekage. Slowly her brother's bright red figure loomed on the horizon as he ran towards the village. She smiled a little seeing him and had to admit it was nice to see him again.

"Temari," he said when he stopped to stand tall and solid.

"Hello Kazekage," she said with a polite bow of her head and then she smiled at her brother. "It's really nice to see you again Gaara," she admitted.

"It is good to see you as well, Temari," he rasped and they started walking through the village. There was no words exchanged between them, there was nothing to be said yet, she would hand him her mission report, her personal evaluations, and the notes she had and leave the final decision up to him. After all, Gaara was the Kazekage and he would have the final say in what was best for their village. She knew this.

But still, she was hoping for the best in the matter of the Uchiha, she had been watching him very closely these last four months and could honestly say she hoped he lived. If only for her new friend's sake.

"Temari, has there been any problems working here in the Leaf?" Gaara asked her as she handed him her reports.

"Not much," she admitted. There had been the entire incident with Karui and Sasuke, and that mess, and a few other episodes. But other than that, the Leaf was fairly peaceful.

"Thank you," he dismissed her and she bowed a bit to him before leaving.

* * *

Shikamaru found himself looking forward to this evaluation of the Uchiha, if only so he could have a good game of shogi. He was feeling rather tired about everything and he wanted a break for a moment. Playing Go with Temari had been very stimulating, she was a challenging opponent, but there was something in how Sasuke thought which made him more than a challenging opponent. It was not something he could lable, but it was something he could respect and enjoy challenging.

Which was why he had lazily walked over to Sakura's apartment after picking up a new pack of smokes. He knew he should get them, they were likely to kill him one day; however, he balanced that out with Ino going to drive him insane one day.

Reaching Sakura's door, he knocked lightly and waited a beat before it was opened.

Shikamaru was startled to see the dual colored eyes of the Uchiha, and he saw Sakura standing nervously at the counter.

"Hey," he greeted figuring to put both her and the Uchiha at ease so Sasuke didn't react poorly to this situation. That would be very painful for him if Sasuke decided to leap off the deep end right now. "I was sent to evaluate you."

Sasuke nodded, Shikamaru saw Sakura slump against the table and figured she was a nervous wreck about these evaluations, even if she was more than likely putting on a brave face.

"We'll be back Sakura," he assured the pinkette as they started to leave.

"Thanks Shikamaru!" she called out to him and he saw the Uchiha nod before leaving with him.

Part of him was surprised to see how close Sasuke appeared to have gotten to Sakura, but he guessed that it was to be expected. Dismissing the though, the decided to try to have a conversation with Sasuke.

"How's life been?" Shikamaru asked.

Sasuke just shrugged and gave him a look which had him pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. Sasuke still appeared to have no conversation skills, he'd make a minor note of that observation.

"It's been a drag," he admitted as he huffed out a puff of smoke. "The council are assholes," he admitted to Sasuke. It wasn't often that he spoke his mind to someone who wasn't Ino-Shika-Chō or Temari.

"Aa," Sasuke chirped, he guessed that was a sign of agreement. "Those'll kill you."

"I know," Shikamaru sighed as he pulled the cigarette from his lips and looked at it. "in's driving me to smoke though."

Sasuke said nothing.

"We're going to be playing a lot of games, get used to it," Shikamaru said as he regretfully snubbed his cigarette out and walked into the hospital. He saw two people, a girl and a large man and as he neared them he identified them as Darui from the Cloud, and Kurostuchi of the Stone.

"Aa," Sasuke responded as they continued through the hospital.

"Oh, and there's two third parties to evaluate what I evaluated," he said quickly as they continued walking through the hospital. Darui and Kurostuchi fell into step a bit behind them.

Sasuke just nodded, but Shikamaru saw the minute signs of strain on the young man and wondered if it would be too much to make these sessions private for the sake of the Uchiha. Then again, if they were private then more than likely the Raikate would declare them all biased and drag Sasuke to the Cloud for execution. For now he'd just carefully assess Sasuke's stress level and make decisions based off of that.

Which was what he was pretty certain Temari, Sakura and everyone involved with watching him, had been doing.

Once they reached the examination room that they were going to be using he pulled out the shogi board up and took his seat across from Sasuke. Sasuke for his part hadn't spoken a single word as of yet and Shikamaru was waiting.

Sasuke made the opening move and Shikamaru moved to counter. They were both silent as they focused on their game but he saw the way Sasuke was assessing the two other's in the room. Shikamaru found it nervewracking to see this but he ignored it. There was something different about Sasuke now, and though he didn't know exactly what it was he was silling to trust the Uchiha not to slaughter all of them with his bare hand and run.

"You're move," Shikamaru said, it seemed to pull Sasuke to the present again.

"Hn," Sasuke replied and moved his pieces. Shikamaru countered, Sasuke weakened his defenses, Shikamaru took the offensive and found Sasuke to be a good defensive player as well.

"Does he ever speak?" Kurostuchi whispered, Shikamaru saw Sasuke's glare and the slight twich of his lips as if he wished to snarl like a wild animal, but the Uchiha uttered not a sound as he looked at the game again. Shikamaru was impressed, and made a note to talk to Kurostuchi about being silent after this game was over. However, he was very impressed with the Uchiha for silencing a stranger with nothing but a mere look.

"You'll have to teach me that trick," Shikamaru muttered.

"Hn," was Sasuke's response unsurprisingly as the game continued on.

"Alright, Sasuke, I think that's all for now, we'll have more tests throughout the week before the hearing," Shikamaru admitted as they finished the game. He was rather impressed with Sasuke for having endured six hours of a single game under the two sets of eyes of the Cloud and Stone.

Nodding the Uchiha was quick to flee the room and Shikamaru sighed hearing Darui ask a question similar to Kurostuchi.

"What is he? A functioning mute?" the man asked.

"No, however, I don't think he's ever had a lot to say," Shikamaru said as he stood up and looked to the smaller girl. "And just so you know, the evaluations with Sasuke are already dangerous enough. Be smart and just stay silent in the future so as to not endanger all of us further. Pushing his buttons is never wise."

* * *

Temari looked up from her book when she heard Shikamaru walk into her quarters.

"How'd it go?" she asked immediately.

"Stressful, and it's a drag having Kurostuchi and Darui there," he sighed as he flopped down beside her on the futon.

She just nodded and crossed her ankles as she continued reading the book Ino had leant her. It was a truly good horror story with cannibalism, sadism, and serial killers. She was finding it to be enrapturing.

"He's not that bad," Shikamaru admitted as he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and put it on his lips. She was quick to take it away from him and put it out of his reach knowing his lazy personality wouldn't chase the cigarette.

"I didn't think he was," she admitted. "Hurt, and lost, but he kind of reminds me of Gaara."

"Huh, never thought that," Shikamaru muttered. "Sasuke's still a pain in the ass though, doesn't talk at all."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Temari shrugged. "But if he goes for Kurostuchi, let him." she smiled maliciously as she imagined the Uchiha ripping that pixie bitch limb from limb and setting her on fire. To say she and Kurostuchi still didn't get along would be a very large understatement.

"I can't let him kill anyone, then he and Sakura die," Shikamaru sighed.

"True," she muttered. She hadn't exactly forgotten Haruno Sakura's original deal with the Kage, but she hadn't actually thought the council would agree to it. It complicated things for her fantasy of the Uchiha killing that Stone bitch for her, which had her sighing a little.

"When are the other Kage arriving?"

"The Mizukage, and the Tsuchikage will be arriving in three days, and the Raikage will be here tomorrow. Every other member of the Allied Shinobi Forces who matter will be arriving at various times throughout the week," she informed him.

"Great," he muttered.

"It will be fine," she dismissed. She was hoping that everything worked out for the best, but she knew there were no garentees in this meeting. There were several things other than the Uchiha to discuss and she knew this was going to be a very long, strenuous meeting for the Kage and their respective important people; the generals and councils.

"Are you still presenting to the Kage?" she inquired thinking of his proposal.

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Gaara is reading over your proposal tonight, perhaps tomorrow after the evaluation you could talk to him about what this is," she suggested. She knew that Gaara was interested in it, but her little brother might dismiss this important project for a pressing matter by mistake and she didn't want that as she looked at Shikamaru.

"Sure," he shrugged and pulled out another cigarette.

"Will You Stop That! It's A Horrid Disgusting Habit!" she snapped as she again yanked it from his lips and glared at him.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	25. Part 1: Chapter 25

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 25**

"No," she said as she walked with Ino.

"But you agreed to go," Ino pointed out point blank and Temari folded her arms as they walked through the market.

"Yes, and I'll do it, but not until after the summit is over, Shikamaru and I have a lot of work to do," Temari said flatly.

"I wasn't saying right now!" Ino hissed dramatically.

"Why aren't you bothering weird ink guy or Sakura at the moment?"

"Hm? You mean Sai?" Ino inquired innocently.

"Yeah," Temari agreed as they walked together.

"He's busy at the moment, and Sakura's with Sasuke, and the flowershop is no longer mine to run, my cousin is over taking the civilian business end, and my other cousin wants to take care of the shinobi side, and the elders assigned another one to take care of the medical plants, also, the elders want me to focus on the Clan and my apprenticeship so I haven't had a lot of free time either. This has been my first break in weeks," Ino sighed.

Temari nodded in understanding of the list Ino had given her, she had one just like it back in her own village.

"But seriously, about the date!" Ino smiled.

Temari groaned in exasperation as she looked over the list of things Yoshino had handed her before she had left for the market. If she had known she was about to run into Ino she'd have asked for a short list.

"Look, I'm going on the date, just don't expect it to be pretty," she dismissed.

"No, we're going to do your hair, makeup, clothes and shoes," Ino replied firmly and Temari sighed. She didn't bother pointing out that she had only mission gear and her off duty garments here.

"Ino!" she sighed.

"You and I are about the same size, you can borrow some of my wardrobe, and this is important!" Ino said firmly. Temari wondered if she even knew when she was using her jutsu to read minds anymore or if she had just known that Temari didn't have date clothes. Also; what the hell were date clothes!?

"Fine, you can set the entire thing up, just don't make me look like a Cloud kunoichi or I'll kick your ass," she surrendered. The last thing she wanted was to look like one of those super models that belonged to the Cloud.

"Yay! This is going to be great! You're not going to regret it!" Ino was all but bouncing in her glee at this and Temari sighed as she grabbed the blonde by the shoulders to hold her still.

"Ino, it's one date, got it?" Temari demanded.

"Yeah, I got it," Ino admitted.

"Akamaru! Wait up!" a voice shouted just as a giant dog creamed her hip sending her toppling into the street as it sat on Ino's feet.

"Ow, what the hell!?" she demanded as she rubbed her butt and glared at the new young intruder.

"Hey Kiba, talk to you later Temari!" Ino smiled. Temari just rolled her eyes and picked up her list again and her bags as she waved the platinum blonde off and continued shopping. She didn't want to know what this date was going to entail, and more than likely it was going to be a disaster, she was going to buy alcohol for herself so she could get drunk after this crash and burn and ignore whatever injured pride she could have.

Truthfully, she was scared about the date.

It wasn't about who she was going with, but this was to be her first date ever, and that terrified her. she hadn't ever been on a date before and now she was going on one with Shikamaru. Not that Shikamaru knew yet; thank Kami, or she'd die of embarrassment. She hadn't even mentioned to Ino that she hadn't ever been on a date before, and she didn't want the blonde to find out about this.

It was truly mortifying to be officially twenty-one years old and to have never been on a date with a guy. And it was a little more embarrassing to know that the guy who was going to be going on this set up date with her was going to be her little brother's age.

Sighing she finished her shopping and walked back home, no, she walked back to the Nara Estate, she mentally corrected and tried not to think about her odd attachment forming to this place. She didn't want to know what this attachment could mean to her when she was leaving shortly after the Kage summit.

"Hello Yoshino, I collected everything off the list for tonight's supper," she said as she walked into the kitchen and saw the Nara matriarch there.

"Thank you Temari, its been a long while since I've had to cook for this many people," Yoshino admitted.

"I'll help," Temari decided. She rather liked cooking, it could sooth her and it would let her focus on something that wasn't related to the shinobi life or everything that she had to do. It was just something like a hobby for her as she chatted with Yoshino and moved about the kitchen preparing the meal. she wondered how everything was going for Shikamaru right now, he was either with the Kage, the council, the Hokage or her brother.

Part of her was amused that the laziest young man on the planet was probably the crucial key to making the Allied Shinobi Forces work at this moment. Perhaps, in time, this would change, and he would not be as needed, but she doubted it. There was something very reliable about Shikamaru which had everyone turning to him for the answers.

It was probably because he was a genius.

That would do it for anyone else.

Smiling to herself she went over to the oven and pulled out the meal before putting something else in and continuing to move around the kitchen with Yoshino. It felt like a homely thing to do, and she was enjoying it.

* * *

Shikamaru was finding it difficult to manage everything that was thrusted upon him. Did people forget that he didn't want the responsibilities, the work, or the attention? Probably, but he found himself handling the work load anyway and trying to keep up with all the demands of the council, Kage, and the superiors he was finding himself surrounded by.

It was a drag.

And not in a good way as he read over another report from Intelligence and jotted down a few important, key bits of information that he needed as he continued writing up a proposal for dealing the these terror groups.

It appeared that the Cloud, Suna, the Mist, the Iron, the Stone, and minor lands were all getting these terror groups at alarming rates. It was a bit stressful trying to write up a proposal which would appease everyone for the moment but he knew he wasn't going to succeed in this proposal.

Sighing he rubbed his brow and craved a cigarette.

Earlier this week Temari had burned them all in front of him, scolding him the entire time, and had threatened him if he bought anymore that he would have them shoved down his throat. Not pleasant so he had conceded to her wishes and not bought or bummed a single cigarette in four days, thirteen hours, twenty-three minutes, and Kami did he want one as he read over the report again.

This sucked.

Between the evaluations of Sasuke, the proposals, the demands, the new treaties, the actual gathering of the summit, and his own pet projects he was finding himself to be running out of energy and brain power rather quickly.

However, talking about his pet projects, he was secretly thrilled to hear that Gaara was very interested in implementing a similar program in Suna and had decided to back the proposal. Now, with Kakashi and Gaara on board with his proposal for a diplomatic team of shinobi working on improving relations with civilians he was certain he could win over the other Kage. They would see the usefulness of this in years to come again, and if they all signed off on it then he could tell the Leaf council to go fuck themselves.

Well, not really, but it was tempting.

He shook his head at this thought, he was clearly spending too much time with the Uchiha to be thinking about telling the Leaf's elders to go fuck themselves. However, it was still very tempting…

Dismissing the fantasy for what it was he continued his work on the proposal his Hokage had asked of him.

It was important to figure out what they were going to about the terrorist and their networks. It appeared that their enemy was going to be challenging, and not just because they were trained shinobi. According to the reports he had received from the other villages there were also civilians joining these terrorist groups and he didn't know how to feel about that.

Shinobi were one thing, they were trained killing machines from the time of their childhoods. He would admit that, he would admit that shinobi life harnessed the killer side in a human being and honed it to be a lethal weapon. But they were shinobi, and many of them knew of no other life outside of the life of the shinobi. Even he would admit he didn't know much about life outside of the shinobi life because he had been born to be a shinobi. He wasn't born a farmer or potter, he was born to be a shinobi, and he was a damn good one.

However, civilians were another thing entirely. They weren't born and raised in the world of kill or be killed. They didn't know about the world of the shinobi and lived simpler, peaceful lives, which he envied. But, they were also people and people were persuadeable to madmen causes. It appeared that madness was not something one could always cure, and these terrorists were spreading their insane radical views and their destructive ways now to civilians. Honestly it disgusted him.

Pulling his hair down he rubbed his scalp as he looked over his proposal and sighed before crushing it and tossing it into the waste bin.

Starting over he started carefully writing out a proposal which might please all Five Nations and the Iron, it was important to him to manage to get some of the basics down because the world was in need of peace. Shikamaru cared very deeply about how they were going to change the world, and he knew it was going to take a lot more than Uzumaki Naruto's reputation and will to change the fucked up world they resided in. but having Naruto eager to help them did help matters.

Dragging his fingers through his hair he groaned in frustration again as he crinkled up another proposal and scrapped it.

When the hell had his life gotten to be so damn difficult. All he wanted to do was laze about and enjoy the day, but now he was writing up proposal for the Kage. It was insane, and it was the opposite of what he wanted to do with his life. For he had just wanted the simple life, find a decent girl who wasn't too pretty or too ugly and just live a quiet life.

Now he was here, and he wondered if this was some twisted karma for having wanted the easy life. Looking at his blank papers and his notes, and the stack of reports he decided that it probably was his father's revenge for him saying he didn't want to help the Hokage when he had been six years old and wanted a nap rather than his Academy classes. He wouldn't put it past his old man to mess with his life like that.

And to top it all off he still hadn't had a chance to talk to Ino!

Sighing he rolled up his sleeves and continued his work.

He wondered what Temari was doing as he worked.

* * *

 **ANNOUNCEMENT!**

 **THERE IS NOW A SIXTH UNTIL THE DAY I... STORY:**

 **UNTIL THE DAY I CONTINUE**

 **I started writing these little oddball spin offs from the main stories; for fun, and because there are so many Naruto characters that I want to touch up on. Now, if you read the other five stories then you know there are no instant couples, I am trying to follow the cannon line with as few deviations as possible, and is immediate post war life.**

 **Now, all of these little spin offs will be following the same guide lines, but on top of that, they will fall chronologically in line with the other Until the Day I… Stories. Mostly so I can keep track of everything, as the writer, which is important to know. Now, also know that I will take character requests for one shots, and I might even come back to the character later in these mini-series, so don't be shy to make requests. If I cannot do your request because of reasons, mostly life, I will tell you but I will be happy to try at another character or a pairing you'd like to see.**

 **Now, I don't mess with canon pairings or semi-canon pairings, but everything else is essentially fair game.**

 **Now for the current list of Until the Day I Continue I have here or intend to put here and their characters:**

 **-Until the Day I Find Serenity: [Neji & Tenten] (UtDIFS)**

 **If you have other requests tell me the character and I'll see what I can do.**

 **So send me a PM or a review!**

* * *

 **.**

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	26. Part 1: Chapter 26

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 26**

Shikamaru had found that testing the Uchiha over the course of the week to be the most challenging, and difficult thing he had to do; not because they were being watched or because Sasuke was slightly unstable and unusually quiet. No, it was the most difficult thing because he found that playing any of his strategy games against the Uchiha were genuinely difficult again. It had been a long time since he had had an opponent outside his clan or the select few he played who could continuously beat him and Sasuke did just that.

It was the most fun Shikamaru had had since the war.

Well, the games were fun, the psychological analyst of the Uchiha was not as fun. Mostly because it was very clear, to him at least, that Sasuke was holding himself together by sheer will power. Which was something Shikamaru noted in his reports because it was important and it was possibly going to bite them in the ass if they did anything rash; like send him on a mission to kill an enemy.

"Hey," he looked up from his analyst report then to see Temari standing in the door way. He relaxed a little then.

"Hey," he replied.

"My brother is approving your diplomatic outreach program and intends to support you during your presentation at the Kage summit," Temari said as she walked over to sit across from him at the desk.

"That's a relief," he managed because it was truly a relief to him. If he could move that program forward then there was more hopes for the Allied Shinobi Forces to have more purposes than just war, and he desperately wanted to make it so there didn't need to be another war.

"I thought it would be one," she smiled a bit, his heart skipped a beat and he tried not to be flustered at how she looked. Temari looked like she had just stepped out of a warm shower with her skin flushed and her hair a bit damp. He liked how she looked.

"Psychological reports?" she said as she picked up what he was writing.

"Yeah, I have to present my findings to the Kage tomorrow," he said as he rubbed his eyes and brow. He was exhausted from all this extra work they kept shoving on him; didn't people realize he only wanted a nap in a warm spot!?

"No matter what your report says it's not going to condemn him, you do know this right?" she asked.

"I know it's just…" he sighed. "I don't know what to think where Sasuke's concerned anymore. The worst part is I can see he's trying, and I just… we're never going to be able to trust him again. Even if he did help save the world," he admitted.

"Perhaps we can't trust him now, and we'll never forget what he's done, it's not possible to forget that, but maybe we can learn to trust him again. It took Suna a while to trust Gaara after everything he had done, but he's our Kazekage now," Temari pointed out as she put the report back.

"That's part of it, I know that perhaps in time we'll trust him again, and that Sharingan and Rinnegan of his are both huge assets to the shinobi world and our village, he's also a skilled shinobi and he's lethal, but… can we really harness it? I've read over the reports, I've looked through his past, and I've thought about it carefully," Shikamaru admitted.

"I think you can trust him, I have a feeling that he's trying very hard to change and I've been watching him for four months now. He's not whoever he was, and right now he's a bit lost, using his sheer will to keep himself together and fighting to survive, but that's right now, who knows who he'll be in another six months, or a year or two? For all we know he could save us again, I'd give him a chance," Temari admitted. Shikamaru sighed, mostly because that was how he had been thinking as he had been filling out these analyst reports.

"Gaara made a few slight alterations to your diplomatic outreach program so it would be better suited for the Land of Wind, and the other Kage might have the same ideas for their own regions, different customs and lives in different parts of the world," she said as she passed him the papers she had been holding. He took them then.

"I can work with the changes," he said as he started reading over the changes and pushed his other work aside.

"I thought you would, but the other Kage might have larger revisions to add on to your original, which Gaara put at the bottom of the proposal, untouched, so be prepared for a lot of negotiations. Gaara thinks that this is an excellent idea, and the sooner the nations implament it then the sooner we can create a stronger peace of the world," Temari said.

"That was the idea," he mused with a smile and pulled out a cigarette because he wanted a smoke.

He blinked when it was snatched from his lips, looking at Temari he saw her evil eye and felt himself shrivel up in fear on the inside.

"No More Smoking! Kami Shikamaru are you trying to kill yourself!?" she demanded.

"It's just one," he replied flatly.

"Shikamaru you've turned into a pack a day smoker, and while I'm here hand the rest over so I can get rid of them. Kurenai will not be happy if her baby is ill because of second hand smoke you idiot," she snapped and he felt a bit guilty then.

He hadn't so much as thought of his goddaughter since his return and that Mirai was a baby and smoking was very bad for her. But worse he realized that he hadn't visited her at all.

He was startled when her hands were on his person and she pulled out his pack of cigarettes.

* * *

"Thank you!" she said tartly as she found what she was seeking on his person after he turned lazy and wouldn't hand the pack over.

"Hey! Give them back!" Shikamaru shouted as he made a grab for them. Temari was quick to evade him. "Temari!"

"No, you know this is bad for you and for being a genius you sure are stupid for picking up this habit!" she snapped at him as she stuffed them in her own robes by her breasts mostly as a tactic to keep him away from them. Folding her arms she scowled at him.

"It's just a cigarette Temari!"

"It's your fourth one today!" she countered. She hadn't meant to reveal that she was watching him just then and felt her cheeks flush a bit, but she held her ground. He was her friend and by all that was important in her world she was not going to let her idiot, genius friend die of lung cancer! Though with his attitude she should let him perish because of lung cancer just to spite him.

But she wasn't going to do that, she actually cared about him and she wasn't going to let him continue hurting himself like this.

"Temari!" He huffed out.

"No, now, where were we about the diplomatic outreach program?" she demanded as she took a seat again and saw his eyes on her beasts where she had tucked his cigarettes away. He blushed a bit as he looked back up in her eyes and she smiled maliciously knowing she had won this because the only way he was getting them back was if he was willing to use his shadows to undress her and pull them from her bra. He wouldn't go that far for cigarettes; it was too much work.

"You think we'll be able to pull it off?" he asked her as he sat back again.

"Definitely, the only one I can see a problem from is the Tsuchikage," she admitted. Mostly because she knew Kurostuchi didn't really want to be in the diplomatic program she was working at the moment and she was likely to tell her grandfather that they shouldn't work with the civilians or other shinobi nations. But that was Temari's low opinion of Kurostuchi.

Who knew though, perhaps the girl was likely to surprise her and support this diplomatic program. The thought nearly had Temari snorting and thinking that when pigs could fly Kurostuchi would be an asset to the Allied Shinobi Force. But again, she was keeping these thoughts to herself because they were her personal opinion and not her professional opinion.

"Possibly, I was thinking that more than likely the Raikage would be the problem."

"I doubt it, for as egotistical, arrogant, loud and demanding as he is, he genuinely cares for his nation and people and village and probably love being involved with a diplomatic outreach program if only to show how awesome the Cloud is." At least, that's what she thought.

"What about the Land of Water?"

"The biggest problem there is reputation, the Mist has a nasty reputation, but I think with Mei as the Mizukage that there's a possibility that the outreach program could work in the Land of Water, it won't be easy by any means but it will probably work the best there," she shrugged. The Mist did have a bloody reputation and an even bloodier history; one that all nations were well aware and had insighted terror amongst their civilians. However, with Mei as the Mizukage there was a possibility that they could repair the relationships between civilians and shinobi.

"Why do you think the Tsuchikage will be the problem, he seems like a progressive man who wants what's best for his people," Shikamaru pointed out.

"He did not want to be in the alliance, he also has been trying to keep his village out of a good portions of conflicts, and Kurostuchi has also decided to only look for ways to benefit the Stone, which is fair to her people, but in the terms of the alliance it's not a good idea. Also, the Stone and the Land of Earth have never had the most… amiable relationship between the civilians and shinobi; at least that's what I've heard, I don't know if it's true or not." She was firm about this, for it was merely gossip from all the covert missions she had run over in the Land of Earth.

"Alright, I'll consider this when I pitch," Shikamaru decided.

"Good, I just warn you to be open to proposal changes for the nation needs rather than the shinobi needs," she said with a shrug.

"Agreed," he said. She felt something wrap around her then and grasped when something slipped into her robes.

"Shikamaru!" she roared, but she couldn't move, his shadow came out with his cigarettes, she was released and she made a move to grab them only to find herself crashing onto the floor wrapped up in shadows.

"I'll cut back," Shikamaru said.

"You are an idiot!" she shouted as she struggled vainly to try to move her body against his paralyzing shadows.

"Temari, I'll quit after the summit!" he promised.

"You'll quit now, or when I get myself out of these shadow I'll kick your ass and then go get Ino to help me kick your ass!" she hissed.

"Ino's the reason I'm smoking!" he snapped.

"Drop the cigarettes Shikamaru or I will make you rue the day you were born if you try to light one!" she snapped. He looked a bit frightened and she smirked maliciously. She knew there was a time limit to his using the shadows and the moment that time was up she was going to kick his ass if he did not put the cigarettes down.

"Fine! Troublesome, not worth getting beat up," he grumbled. The shadows released her and she picked them up again.

"Besides, if you ever get a date she won't like kissing your smoke breath," she pointed out and stomped out with the cigarettes in hand. She blushed a bit at what she had said once she was safely in her room as she remembered the date Ino was arranging for her.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	27. Part 1: Chapter 27

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 27**

Shikamaru found himself before the Kage, the council and the samurai general; Mifune, in the rebuilt Hokage tower.

After a week of prepping himself for this he found himself to be a bit nervous as he looked around the high table where the Kage were all stationed. It felt strange to be standing before them, but it also felt like the most natural thing in his life to be here. He knew that didn't mean much to these people, but he figured that if his father or Asuma were here they would be proud of him for standing here today to do the right thing.

"Tomorrow we will be sentencing the Uchiha, you have been summoned here to give your analyst of the Uchiha before we come to a sentence," one of the Leaf's council members said.

"Yes," he replied. Because that was exactly why he was here.

"Proceed," the Raikage ordered.

"Uchiha Sasuke has been severely damaged psychologically. But it appears that he still has a moral compass, and though he does not always follow it he does listen to it, he also values life. In strategy his goals were to have a minimal amount of collateral; even when I would attack his pieces with maximum casualty moves.

"He's quiet, observant, and from my understanding he is exceptional good at adapting to the situations he finds himself in.

"However, he is unbalanced, he is and works very hard to keep himself together and he fights to be himself even when it hurts him. He's still finding himself, but it is my personal opinion that he is no longer a threat to the Leaf, or the Allied Shinobi Forces, or any other nation.

"He is a highly skilled, highly motivated, very lethal individual who can help us against these new found terrorists and could be an even greater asset in the future with his Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and the Rinnegan, these are practically extinct kekkei genkai of enormous power and infinite ability, if he uses them wisely I have no doubts that he will be an asset to this village in conflicts to come.

"Also, as a side observation he seems to seek atonement, he seeks if from those he has hurt the most, I believe that it will be useful to let him seek his redemption while he continues to aid our village and our cause.

"That's my observations of him," Shikamaru said.

"You are dismissed," the Kazekage said.

Shikamaru nodded as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked out of the room. He knew that he would presenting his proposal to the Kage later this week, for now the most pressing issue the Kage had was the Uchiha. Which, while infuriating and frustrating, was understandable; he'd want to have that over as quickly as possible too if he were on the Kage and council. It was a difficult matter to decide upon however, mostly because of Naruto and Kakashi; he didn't think Sakura had a large role in their decision making process either.

* * *

Temari was off of her diplomatic duties until her brother had completed the Uchiha sentencing, she had stated her opinion for her brother, he had accepted it and she had left it be. There was nothing more she could do for the Uchiha and to be frank, there was nothing she really wanted to do for the Uchiha.

She could neither forgive him, nor could she condemn him.

Sasuke just was to her and he was not that important to her in the grand scheme of her life. She was even willing to state that, but she wouldn't because it would go against her Kazekage's wishes. Which was why she was currently enjoying the cool October day as she lay in the grass and rested under the sun, savoring the sensation of the world cooling around her.

She liked the Leaf better than Suna.

Suna only had two seasons, and those two seasons were the Hot & Windy, and the Hot & Windless; there was rarely any rain in her home village, there was never a cool day; however, the nights could get below freezing but an hour after the sun rose it was hotter than the Gates of Hell. Still, this was a good day, neither too cold nor too hot, and the light breeze was tugging at her hair as she lay there savoring the sensation of being here.

If she could she'd request a permanent station here in the Leaf as a Suna diplomat, but she knew she could not do that and it would be favorable treatment in the eyes of the other diplomats who worked for her brother so her brother would never do that.

A shadow fell over her and she cracked her eye open to glare at the offender and scowled at the smug grin of Kurostuchi.

"Go away," Temari said as she closed her eyes again.

"Well I have just come to tell you that your boyfriend is home," Kurostuchi sneered.

"He's not my boyfriend, he's a friend, and if you had any you'd know the difference," Temari sighed.

"Well then I'll go ask him out if he really isn't your boyfriend," Kurostuchi said.

"Go ahead, I hope your heart isn't in it though, otherwise the rejection will break it," Temari dismissed. Besides, there was that date Ino had set up for her the moment the Kage summit was over and though she wasn't looking forward to it.

Well, she kind of was, but it was Shikamaru and he was her little brother's age so she kind of wasn't looking forward to it. However, she would sooner hot iron her tongue than say as much, she was sticking to that too. There was no way she was going to say she was kind of looking forward to a date with Shikamaru.

It would ruin her façade as a tough girl, and it would actually make people see her as a weak girl and after all the fighting, clawing and killing she had done to be seen as a great kunoichi she wasn't going to have the image ruined because she was kind of excited for a date.

"You really are a bitch Temari," Kurostuchi snapped.

"I try," she shrugged. Truthfully she didn't give a shit about what Kurostuchi thought of her. the pixie from the Stone was annoying as hell and Temari would rather be suffering in a torture than dealing with this girl's petty, perky attitude. Still, Temari took silent glee in knowing she had stolen all of this morning's hot water from Kurostuchi; it was really the little things in life that mattered.

The pixie snarled and stomped off. Temari just closed her eyes and smirked again as she returned to savoring the sun and enjoying the cooling weather of the Land of Fire. She had never had such a wonderful time in the sun as this relaxing; she could see the appeal of those naps Shikamaru sought out now. This was truly relaxing.

A moment later she sighed when another shadow fell across her person and she scowled up at the offender. She found herself looking into the lazy eyes of Shikamaru then.

"How'd it go?" she asked as he laid down beside her.

"It went," Shikamaru said as he pulled out a cigarette. She snatched it from his lips and propped herself up.

"Stop the smoking," she snapped.

"Temari, it's the first one and the last one today, I promise," he sighed.

"I don't believe you and you'll quit cold turkey, no weaning off of them or whatever lie you're telling your addict mind, you're quitting." She snapped as she took out his pack and methodically started ripping up the cigarettes. He gaped at her but didn't stop her, she handed an empty pack back to him.

"That was uncalled for," he sighed.

"You'll thank me one day," she assured him.

"I presented my opinion of the Uchiha, I think they're going to crucify him no matter what or he'll get lucky and get redemption or something, I don't know, I don't care, not my problem.

"That's a good attitude to have," she sarcastically replied.

"I do care, and that's the problem, Temari so if I don't care then I can't be disappointed when he's executed," Shikamaru said.

"Well that's a stupid way to put it," she pointed out.

"I don't really care," he sighed as they sat there staring out at the gardens. "I get it, I get why he did everything, I've looked over the facts from his past, and I've read over everything, I mean I get it. I did the same thing when Hidan murdered Asuma. The only difference between him and me was that I wasn't a kid and tortured in a genjutsu and then had an obsession when I was seven onwards to be the best.

"I just… that could have been me if the situation was different," he admitted softly.

* * *

Shikamaru had seen the similarities between himself and Sasuke for a while, the only difference was that he was a dead-last lazy ass, and had always aimed to be that way.

No doubt if Asuma had been murdered before his eyes when he had been twelve though he'd have done everything in his, then, minimal power to avenge a man who was a friend and like an uncle to him. But he hadn't been, he had been sixteen and he knew what he needed to do, he had drawn up the plans, perfected his trap, and prepared for every eventuality of his revenge and them implemented his plan into a reality.

No doubt if Sasuke had been sixteen when he had lost his family he'd have done the exact same thing Shikamaru had done. And that's what scared Shikamaru, he could see how it could have all too easily been different. If Oroshimaru hadn't come into the picture, if Sasuke hadn't just disappeared after he left, if things hadn't been what they were. Shikamaru could say that Sasuke could have been a very different shinobi if life had been different and that was the terrifying part. At least to him it was scary.

"No Shikamaru, it wouldn't have been you," Temari suddenly said and he looked at her.

"And how do you know?" he demanded.

"Because, it's not in you, that thing that makes Sasuke and Gaara so much more dangerous than the normal shinobi, it's not in you," she murmured as she looked up at the sky. He stared at her profile in wonder then, she was mesmerizing and he was curious about what she meant.

"What thing is in them that isn't in me?"

"I don't know how to put it, but it's in them, it's in your Sixth Hokage, it's a rare thing to stumble across, and it's what makes them so much more dangerous than the rest of us. I guess Madara had it, the Akatsuki members definitely had it. It's just that one extra thing that makes them different from us, and it makes them more lethal, more dangerous, more determined, more loyal, and more everything than we could ever understand. It's something in their core which just makes them more, and they can either be extrodinarily good, like Gaara is now, or they can exceedingly dangerous like Madara. It's just a component in them, and it's not something you have or I have or even Naruto has.

"The Akatsuki was the first group of people who all banded together of that something in them, and they probably will be the last to successfully do it. I don't know what it is in them, but whatever it is Shikamaru, it makes them more than any of us could ever be.

"This isn't to say you couldn't have made the wrong decisions and done terrible things in your life, but it's that thing in them that isn't in us that makes me know you'd have never done what they did," she said softly.

"I guess that comforting," Shikamaru said.

At least someone here was certain that he wouldn't have gone off the deep end and killed a lot of people and hurt more in the process. Mostly because he wasn't too sure, if he had been twelve.

"Also, doing what they did and do is _**way**_ too much work for you," she teased.

He chuckled; that could be true. Just imagine what he could do when he was motivated though.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	28. Part 1: Chapter 28

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 28**

It was peaceful as he lay there staring at the changing autumn leaves. He wasn't due in to testify today or anything, no, that was tomorrow's task.

Today was all reserved for the Uchiha and his sentencing. There was nothing for him to be doing or not, and he was taking this day to relish being himself, lazy, and having a sunny spot to hang out in. The only way this would be a truly perfect day was if he had a cigarette to enjoy, but his stash was missing. He blamed Temari and he just didn't want to go buy them when he was laying here in the sun and comfortable as sin.

It was the first truly lazy day he had had since before the Pain Attack; before he had picked up his father's mantel as the Hokage advisor. And there were the added duties of being an advisor for the Allied Shinobi Forces; over all, it was a drag, but he was doing it.

A shadow fell across him, he scowled as he cracked an eye open to look up into the blue eyes of his friend. He blinked again just to make certain that the platinum girl was real.

"You're standing in my sun," he said.

"I know," she flippantly replied as she flopped beside him.

"What are you doing here Ino?" he asked.

"I miss you and Chōji," she replied.

"Is that the only reason?" he asked her.

"No, I've come to tell you to pull whatever stick you have shoved up your ass about my being in Intelligence out and get used to the matter or we're never going to be able to friends," Ino snapped.

He sighed as he propped himself up then.

"I've been thinking about it for two months," he admitted. "I don't have to be happy about you being in Intelligence, but…" he started.

"Stuff it Shikamaru, I'm not leaving Intelligence," she snapped.

"I was going to say I can learn to live with it," he continued, Ino blushed a bit at being wrong.

"Are you willing to make it up to me?" she asked.

"Uh…" he wasn't certain what Ino wanted but usually when she wanted something from him it wasn't good for him.

"It's actually because of that snide thought you had of Sai I'm insisting you just agree or I can keep you, Chōji and I severed for a longer time, I like having my head to myself," she said as she smiled maliciously.

"It was just a thought Ino," he groaned.

"And he's been my only friend since I woke up in the hospital, I'm not going to let you get away with insulting him when I've gotten revenge on others for pettier things they've said about you and Chōji," she snapped.

"Fine, fine, whatever you want," he surrendered.

"Good, you're going to be dressed up, I'll have the flowers, and you'll be ready for your date on the day I pick."

"A date!" he shouted.

"If you want the Ino-Shika-Chō connection back you'll do it, because I know for a fact you're a virgin and have never been on a date. If you want to insult Sai about his dating life and sex life then you're going to need on for a comparison," she snapped.

Shikamaru was now finding he regretted having thoughts around Ino sometimes as he sighed.

"Please don't make it someone stupid." He surrenedered knowing it was easier just to do as Ino dictated rather than fight her.

"Good, and I know you'll like who your date is with," she said superiorily as she smirked at him. Shikamaru felt dread pooling in his stomach.

All he wanted in a girl was someone not too pretty, not too ugly, and wouldn't demand much from him. He wanted two kids, a boy and a girl, just for a balance, and he wanted to live a quiet shinobi life.

But knowing Ino his life's plans and goals were about to be shot to hell and he hadn't even had a chance to blink. However, he found he missed her, and he would probably do whatever it took to have her back in his life. And if that meant dating someone to appease her then he would; for now.

Shikamaru was good at out maneuvering Ino when she wasn't pissed at him.

"Now that you've agreed, I gotta go back to work, I'm off for the moment," she smiled as she got up.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Shikamaru, just cause we're Ino-Shika-Chō does't mean I can tell you my very classified mission at this moment," she smiled as she hurried away.

Shikamaru groaned as his head fell back into the grass and he tried to enjoy the rest of his sunny day but he knew that wasn't going to happen.

He was now thinking about just what Ino did for a living and he found he did not like it at all. But worse than that, she had claimed Sai to be her friend, Shikamaru did not like Sai at all. Well, that wasn't entirely true, but he wasn't fond of the former Root member. Sai was weird, dangerous, and mysterious; it was one thing if Sai was around Team 7, his team, but Shikamaru preferred not having Sai around his team. Especially around Ino since she was an easy person to con or manipulate with her optimistic views on the world.

And there was something shifty about Sai that had always unsettled him.

And when he had thought that stupid jab at Ino it was mostly because Sai called her Beautiful and she was and he was terrified that the Root guy; who had no moral compass, was willing to hump what he thought beautiful. It was not a stupid thought, it was a genuine concern of his that Sai would leap over the boundaries and take advantage of Ino. which was why he was making plans to keep a closer eye on the Root member.

* * *

Temari wasn't overly worried about the Uchiha trail, it wasn't hers' to worry about and she had other matters to worry about.

Mostly, she was worried about her impending date.

It was embarrassing to be twenty and to have never been on a date before, and now she found herself going on one with a younger man who was her little brother's age. Part of her wanted to go find a very deep hole and die, and another part of her knew there was no evading Ino. Ino was tenacious if she was nothing else, once she set her mind on doing something she usually stuck to it. At least, that's what she knew of Ino from when Shikamaru would talk about her.

"You seem distracted lately," her brother's voice had her jolting as she turned on him and stared at him for a long moment. "Is there something on your mind that you would like to discuss?"

"Not really, it's just… worries," she dismissed as best she could. She couldn't deny that she had other things on her mind than the date, but the date was truly her biggest worry. Especially if it went poorly and she lost a friend in the process. She did not have many friends.

"What is the matter?" Gaara persisted as he walked up beside her and they stared out the Hokage office window.

"Just the future of the Allied Shinobi Forces, where's it going to go, you know; things we have no control over," she chuckled nervously. She really didn't want her little brother knowing she was fretting over a date.

"If it is about the council then know that there is nothing to worry about, I believe the war has forged unbreakable bonds between the villages," Gaara admitted.

"Yes, but the Stone and the Cloud?" she whispered. Two very proud independent nations which hated bonds, it was something to consider.

"I believe that we will make it through this," Gaara admitted.

"Like I said, stupid things to worry about," she dismissed.

"There is another matter I have not wanted to bring up to you yet, but since we are alone…" Gaara said and she lifted her brows in worry then. Her brother would only want to discuss business about something back home if they were alone like this and it had to be serious if he was willing to bring it up here in the Leaf rather than making it home.

"What is it?"

"The village elders and council have asked for us to start considering marriage, they want to carry on the Kazekage bloodline and are even starting to look at suitors for you," Gaara warned. She stiffened at the news.

"There's plenty of time for me, what about Kankurō he's the eldest?" she asked.

"Kankurō has refused to be used in continuing the Kazekage bloodlines," Gaara explained to her.

"And so they're going to turn me into a broodmare and you into a stud," she sighed as she rubbed her brow then. This was a nightmare in her mind and then there was the matter of her impending date; it was getting to be worrisome.

"They have given us five years," Gaara admitted.

"That's not comforting," she sighed.

"I agree, but it is the Kazekage's duty to produce an heir or someone in the family," he said coldly.

"And you're alright with this Gaara?"

"I do not know, I had not ever thought to this point in my life," he admitted. She nodded in understanding.

"Well, can I ask a favor of you then?" she said.

"That would depend on what the favor is," Gaara said.

"Could I… could I have the next year here in the Leaf as a temporary resident ambassador, I don't want to start the courting process yet," she sighed.

"That is reasonable," he agreed.

"Thank you Gaara," she smiled.

"Kankurō has offered to help me with finding a suitable wife," Gaara admitted.

"Oh boy, word of advice, message me before you do something he says to do," she chuckled.

"I was going to ask that of you," he admitted.

"Good, I don't want my little brother to be hit in the face or something because of some stupid advice from Kankurō," she sighed.

"Thank you," Gaara said.

"We're going to have a busy few years coming up," she sighed. "Between rebuilding the shinobi world, working for peace, our village, and now the parading of suitors…"

"It will be a challenging five years," Gaara admitted.

"Well, here's hoping for the best, and we'll hunker down and prepare for the worst just in case," she chuckled.

"I believe this will all work out," Gaara said calmly. She just nodded because she wasn't as optimistic as her brother about that; but she was a realist.

She meant it when she said 'hope for the best, prepare for the worst' it covered every eventuality in life and it would work in the favor or people aiming to just get through life at the moment. She wasn't too hopeful that she was going to have a good marriage, it would be political and it would work in the favor of her village.

She was going to enjoy her time in the Leaf while she could; perhaps she would employ Ino's help in having fun and enjoying being young before she had to be responsible again and was under the constant eye of her elders.

Ino and Sakura would be good people to try to befriend while she was in this village, and she knew she could befriend Hinata and Tenten while she was at it. Not that it was likely with Hyūga Hinata being a shy heiress, and Tenten about to have a baby. But still, Temari was hoping to lead a very different life here in the Leaf than the life she lived in Suna.

"Our Embassy is in need of a temporary diplomat here, at least until I find a suitable perminant canidate. You will be required to be home though for the first year anniversary end of the war," Gaara said.

"Thank you Gaara," she smiled genuinely.

"Of course," he nodded.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	29. Part 1: Chapter 29

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 29**

Out of habit Temari found herself up at dawn and she sat outside Haruno's place just watching the apartment as it came to life. It was odd, really odd.

Today was her last day doing this, in about an hour or so the Uchiha would be gone and she would start being a diplomat again. It was truly a strange sensation as she sat there, the wind tugging on her blonde hair. She didn't jump when Gaara materialized beside her.

"He's really free?" she asked.

"No, he is an agent of the Allied Shinobi Forces, should he disregard any order he is given he will be executed," Gaara explained.

"Uh-huh," she nodded.

"Do you think this is the right decision?" Gaara asked.

"I can't judge what the Kage and council have decided, but personally… he's changed, when he attacked us at the summit he was… he was consumed with hatred, now… he's different Gaara. That's my opinion," she admitted and she watched as Kakashi appeared at the apartment and she looked to her brother.

"I'm a temporary diplomat now, correct?" she asked as she stood and walked with Gaara then.

"Yes, the embassy is yours to run," he rasped as he handed her the files she would need. Carefully she read over the files.

"Is there anything else I should be aware of?" she asked.

"Yes, Kakashi spoke with me and has asked that you help Shikamaru oversee his pet project, it was expressed that you have an interest in the diplomatic outreach program," he said.

"Yes, I do have an interest in it," she said calmly. She didn't expect this duty, and she didn't think Shikamaru was going to be thrilled about it, it was his project idea. No doubt he'd want to oversee it.

"Good, the Allied Shinobi Force will be naming him Chief Coordinator of the Shinobi Union." Gaara said.

"What is the Shinobi Union?" Temari asked.

"It is what the Allied Shinobi Forces have become, there are the smaller nations petitioning to be brought in, the hope is for the Leaf for the Shinobi Union base, it is central in the continent, and all of the nations have an easy travel here," he explained.

"It would make sense, but wouldn't the Land of Iron not be a better place, it is natural, ran by samuri and possibly safer, I do not think that opening the Leaf as the headquarters is a smart move as they are a fellow shinobi village," she said.

"That is a thought, I will bring it up today as we draw up a formal treaty," Gaara said.

"Having the Allied Shinobi Forces in a truly neutral nation would show better unity and peace, and the Land of Iron is not that difficult to get to, except for the winter," she pointed out.

"I think it is a possibility, I will bring it up with the other Kage, you have an apartment at the embassy here in the Leaf, it would good if you used it," Gaara said as he produced a key.

"Yeah, sure," she dismissed as she took the key.

* * *

Shikamaru found himself to be nervous when he woke before his alarm; which should tell one everything they needed to know about how much this mattered to him. Sitting up in his bed he turned off the alarm before getting ready for the presentation today. It was today that he was going to propose his diplomatic outreach program and he was… nervous. Seriously, he was a nervous wreck, his stomach was being weird. It was his first big presentation ever, and battle didn't count because that was about strategy and how to stop the enemy, what acceptable losses were, how risky a position was, where to move people; it wasn't a fucking presentation! It was orders!

Which was more powerful, but far less terrifying in his mind as he stood in a warm shower scrubbing his face of the sleep. Getting dressed he opened the door and saw Temari walking in with Gaara, they were talking quietly. He wondered what about, it looked serious as neither of them noticed him as he walked past them. Eating a small breakfast he was startled when Temari appeared at the gate as he left to prepare his presentation.

"Big day today," she chuckled.

"Yes," he agreed, but he tried to play it like it wasn't a big deal. Truth be told, it was the most important day of his life, and he was nervous. If his father were here, he would know what to say and Shikamaru wouldn't feel this… terrified. Same with Asuma, if he were here. But they weren't here, he remembered and he felt a pain in his chest at the thought.

"It's a good program, one the world needs," Temari pointed out then.

"I know," he agreed.

"Which is why there is no point in worrying about it and just present it," she snapped.

"I have never presented anything in front of the Kage!" Shikamaru snapped.

"Get used to it," she dismissed and he didn't like the sound of that as he frowned.

"Why?"

"I thought the Nara family was a long line of Hokage assisstants and advisers, isn't this considered natural to your family? Even expected?" she pointed out.

He snorted, it wasn't expected of a Nara, it was just… their normal. It happened, even his father hadn't wanted to be the advisor to the Hokage but had taken up the mantel. The Nara family was respectable, and honorable, but they did not ever volunteer for anything; ever. It went against the principle, however, now that he was thinking about it, they did get drafted into important positions.

"I wouldn't say expected," he grumbled.

"Shikamaru, it'll be fine, I've done dozen of these very presentations," Temari pointed out.

"That is not encouraging," he grumbled as they walked into the Hokage's office.

"What did you say?" she snarled, he stepped out of her reach then as he saw that green glare.

* * *

Temari sat with Shikamaru in his office area of the Hokage's office reading over his proposal again and she thought carefully about everything that he had written, changed out a few words so it sounded more professional, kept a few words to keep the passion of the proposal alive.

"Here, try this," she suggested, he read over the changes then.

"I'm going to sound demented," he grumbled.

"Just because you're not sounding lazy does not mean this will sound demented, your hard sells on this proposal are the Leaf's councle, the Tsuchikage and the Raikage so you have to sell it Shikamaru!" she snapped.

"Alright, alright," he sighed. She heard him mutter under his breath and gave him a pointed look. If this was his attitude then she didn't think she should be helping him, let him sink on his own. But the thing was she was also invested in this proposal, it was a brilliant idea and it could work at bringing about a peace that the world needed, and it would definitely improve shinobi/civilian relations which would help them in the long run.

"Alright, now let's go, all the Kage are gathering and now's the best time to present while they don't have matter's to discuss," she said as she grabbed his arm and dragged him after her.

"Temari! You don't need to pull me," he agrued.

"We are not waiting around while you figure this out, come on!" she ordered and they made it to where the summit was being held. She shoved him through the doors then and stood outside.

Well, she never said she'd be involved with the presentation, she would just help him out. Also, it was not her place to be involved with this discussion; it was his idea, his brain child, his proposal, it was his to present, and if he played all his cards right; like she knew he could, then he would have the Kage eating out of his hand.

That was the best thought ever as she smiled and looked at the time, she was a bit hungry, and she hadn't had breakfast because of her habit of watching the Uchiha. Walking out of the Kage summit she figured Shikamaru would be presenting for about two hours, explaining everything in great detail and answering questions; which was smart, so she had time to eat.

Walking out of the Hokage's office she started towards a quaint little restraurant she had found that served a divine breakfast for some peace and quiet. She stiffened when she saw the ANBU moving, running towards the Hokage Mountain, she looked around but no one was panicking or even seemed to notice the ANBU moving over head.

Was this security or something else? She wondered as she now watched her surroundings in the Leaf. She wondered what was going on as she sat down and ordered her tea and breakfast and watched the rooftops for the shadows which occasionally moved.

* * *

Shikamaru looked at the Kage when he was shoved through the door and had six startled eyes on him. He was relieved that the Leaf's council wasn't here, and that Mitune was. He straightened up then, cleared his throat, swallowed his nerves, held his proposal tight and smiled a bit.

"Good morning Kage, and General Mifune," he greeted. He saw Kakashi and Gaara relax, he knew they knew why he was here and that was reassuring. "I have a proposal here which could help us in preventing another war and build relations between the civilian population and the shinobi minority."

"And what proposal is that?" the Raikage boomed.

"A diplomatic outreach program," he said and held up the official draft of his proposal then. He saw the interest spark in the Mizukage's exposed eye, he knew he had Kakashi and Gaara, and now he was going to see if he could get the Tsuchikage and the Raikage. He couldn't read Mifune though and that was a bit disconcerting but he also didn't know what type of relationship the samuri held with the civilians of the Land of Iron.

"Why would we want your proposal, boy?" the Tsuchikage snapped.

"Because the world might not survive the Fifth Great Shinobi War," he replied calmly. "The civilians don't trust here in the Land of Fire, I spent two and a half months traveling from civilian village to civilian village and they do not trust us, and we don't trust them. I can safely guess that the other nations are in such a state of distrust and if we do not repair the damage now, while we can, who's to say we can fix later, what's to keep the civilians from revolting on us and there being a genocide in the process. We are shinobi, it is our duty to protect our nations and our nations are comprised of civilians. We should know the people we protect."

"Touching idea, but what makes you think this will work?" the Raikage snapped.

"I have drafted a proposal with the outlining ideas, and how I implemented it the real world," he said as he pulled out the reports and the drafts and passed them to the Kage. Mifune was carefully reading his over and the Raikage snatched the proposal up and started reading it. The Tsuchikage was glaring at the proposal and that wasn't encouraging to Shikamaru.

"Obviously there will need to be some changes depending on the nation and certain laws that our daimyōs have created, but I'm certain that we can work out an arrangement that will benefit every nation here, and even the smaller nations," he said calmly. He didn't really want to compromise on some points but he knew he would have to and that was why he was trying to keep his mind open.

"You've put a lot of thought into this," the Mizukage said softly.

"It is a matter of great importance and though the results might not be immediate they will be lasting in the long run," he pointed out.

"Very well, I will hear this proposal," the Raikage snapped.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	30. Part 1: Chapter 30

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 30**

Shikamaru stumbled home drained.

Yes, drained.

He was not exhausted because of everything he had discussed with the Kage, they had brought up valid points to his program and he didn't know how to feel about some of the changes. He accepted that all the lands were different and there were different things expected of each village, and there were different laws, rules, standards, traditions in the other nations. But it didn't make it any less important or difficult. And it was draining to discuss the appropriate changes for each village and each nation, it was a lot to do, it was hard to do, and it was… it was a drag.

Yup, it was a drag. And it had drained him, fried his brain and now he was going to sleep only to repeat the entire process tomorrow.

He had the Kazekage and Hokage already hooked and agreeing to his program. But he had gone in knowing that, now though he knew he had the Mizukage who wanted to change everything in her nation and was eager to find a way to implement the diplomatic outreach program. However, Shikamaru was still waiting to see if he would catch the Raikage and the Tsuchikage; it was important that he at least get one or the other because then the last one would come into place if only to be better than the rest of them.

So he had cast his chips and was going to see where they fell and wait. It was about seeing who he could get immediately, then it was about manipulating the others into place. And that was something he could do because the more he studied the Raikage and Tsuchikage the more he was coming to understand them and figuring out what made them tick.

He looked up when he saw Temari walking with his mother.

"Thank you again for letting me stay here with your family during this difficult time," Temari said.

"You are always welcomed in the Nara home Temari," his mother replied.

"What's going on?" Shikamaru asked uncertainly.

"The Suna embassy has been finished and I have my new posting now that the Uchiha is off to find redemption and I was posted as the temporary Suna ambassador, I have an apartment to move into at the embassy," Temari said calmly.

"That's great!" he said earnestly. He knew how much Temari liked being in the Leaf, so this was good news for her. The only problem, like all the other times she was leaving, he didn't want her to go.

"I am pleased with the assignment," she said.

"I'll walk you over to the embassy then," he said suddenly.

"You're actually volunteering to do something?" she teased.

"It's a drag," he assured her as they started walking from the Nara estate. Temari was silent for a long time.

"An ambassador," he mused.

"Yes, my brother thought it would be a good match for me," she said.

"It is," he assured her. Shikamaru rather liked working with Temari, she was easy to work with, she was cooperative, and she looked past her village for the greater good, it was nice to have another who was seeing things the way he saw them.

"How did the presentation go?" she asked.

"I thnk it went well, I have the Mizukage in on the proposal as well, like you hypothesized," he said.

"That's good."

"I guess, do you know what the relation between the samurai and the civilians are in Mifune's land?" Shikamaru asked her.

"I don't, I never had many missions in the Land of Iron, and what few I did have there were for diplomatic purposes, the Land of Iron is pretty neutral and stays out of shinobi conflicts; until the Fourth Great Shinobi War, but that was a world matter; and when I am there I do not see the civilians; at all. The diplomatic envoy is usually put in an inn with a samurai escort. They're a private people from my understanding, why?" she asked.

"I can't get a read on Mifune, and I don't know if he's for the proposal or against it, and if he's against it then I lose the Tsuchikage and Raikage automatically; they look to him most of the time," Shikamaru said.

"That's not surprising, Mifune is a powerful leader, and an inspiring man, but I'm certain he is a man who looks at the greater good rather than just the needs of his own people. Gaara thinks this is the time for world change; just as you do, and many other feel this way," she said calmly.

"I guess," he shrugged; he didn't know this for sure, but he hoped that there was a way to change the world in a lasting way.

"Worry about it later, you've just started," she shrugged.

"Thanks Temari," he smiled slightly and she nodded as they reached the Suna embassy, he watched her walk into it and disappear. Shoving his hands in his pockets he started home, he craved another cigarette, but he didn't have any since Temari had confiscated them. Perhaps he'd stop at the corner store and pick up a pack and maybe a newspaper so he had an idea of what was going on in the world still.

Walking he found himself stopping at the corner store as he picked up a paper and flipped through the news and eyes the cigarettes. In the end, he only paid for the paper as he continued the walk home cursing himself for not picking up a cigarette. He wanted a smoke, but he didn't want it at the same time.

Damn women for complicating his life.

Walking into the quiet house he found his mother asleep on the porch, his father's spot. Shikamaru retrieved the pillow and blanket his mom kept on hand for Shikaku when he slept there and he carefully draped them on his mother.

"Shikaku?" she groggily said as she looked at him.

"No mom," he said as he sat with her.

"Shikamaru," she sighed.

"Yes mom," he replied as he stared at the moon then.

* * *

Temari walked into her suite and looked around. It had the sparse essentials, but she was warned by a receptionist that there was a decorating team coming from Suna who was going to make this place more like Suna to make it more cultural. Temari didn't particularly care about if this place was cultural or not, she was just here to work and avoid being suckered into a marriage she didn't want to be involved in. dropping her bag of gear and minimal clothing she pulled her fan off her back and fell into a chair with a groan.

The Leaf was tightening security so much and so quietly she wondered what was going on. She had a feeling it could all just be for the Kage summit; all of the Kage were important people, and having them all in one location was a rare occurrence. But still, this had felt like over kill.

Standing she walked to her shower.

It was a good size bathroom; and there was one thing Suna couldn't do that the Leaf did and that was have running hot water for long showers. The communal baths in Suna were simply practical, and there were no showers. Temari had preferred the shower since her first time in the Leaf.

Stepping under the hot water spray she quickly washed everything away from her day as she scrubbed her hair and reveled in not competing for the hot water from Kurotsuchi. Once clean she wrapped herself in a towel and wiped the steam off the mirror as she went about her normal routine of face washing, teeth brushing and hair brushing before pulling on her night wear.

Wandering her suite aimlessly she mentally had to hand it to Gaara. He knew how to build a suite, she mused. It was nowhere near as grand as what the Leaf could do or what the Cloud did, but it was nice. She rather liked the simpler ways of her home country.

But that didn't mean she didn't like the little luxuries of the Leaf and the other nations she had visited. Loosely braiding her blonde hair she picked up a book; _The Art of War_ and nestled into to read it. It was a good read; she'd read it before, but she couldn't focus on it.

There was a knock on her door, she quickly set aside her book as she walked to the door.

"Yes?"

"Temari, there is something we need to discuss," Gaara's voice said.

"One second," she said as she grabbed a robe, wrapped it around herself and walked back to the door. Opening it she looked at her brother.

"Yes?" she said uncertainly.

"May I come in?" he asked.

"Of course," she stepped aside and figured that this was family business with how nervous he was. Gaara walked into the room then and she shut the door.

"What is it?"

"It is about the proposal you and Shikamaru have created," Gaara said.

"Alright, what about it?" she asked as she shut her book and took a seat across from her brother.

"How certain are you that it will work?" Gaara asked her.

"Truthfully, I'm one hundred percent certain that this will work. Shikamaru started implementing it in the surround villages for the Land of Fire, the results were good; at least, according to the reports I read, and I've seen the relationship between civilians and shinobi being built slowly after the war, they've been having to work together to rebuild their village. Implementing this program Gaara, it will strength the ties to civilians for shinobi, and shinobi will not look like the ruthless murderers that the civilians seem to think we are," she said earnestly.

"Good, then I will be setting up this program in Suna regardless of the outcome at the Kage summit," Gaara decided.

"Good, now, why are you really here Gaara?" she asked.

"I… the council has given me a candidate for marriage," he said softly as he looked away. For a moment he did not look like the intimidating Kazekage, or the demon of Suna, he looked like her bashful baby brother, the one who didn't have too many friends, and didn't know how to date girls.

"Who?"

"I do not know, they will not tell me," he squirmed then.

"Gaara, you've changed, you've changed a lot; unlike Kankurō who takes great delight in scaring the youths of Suna and playing with his puppets," she chuckled.

"But… what if… what if she does not like me?" he asked uncertainly.

"Then she's an idiot, but Gaara you have changed a great deal so she should like you," she admitted.

"Perhaps as the Kazekage," he said firmly.

"No, Kami, don't be the Kazekage with a marriage candidate, Gaara! You will never have a girl if you do that," she said quickly and he stared at her with uncertain eyes.

"Then what do I do?" he asked uncertainly.

"Be yourself Gaara, be you, you're sweet, you're kind, and you are funny when you're not being so serious; don't try to charm her, just be yourself," Temari said firmly.

"Does that work?" he asked, he seemed like a little kid at the moment and she smiled.

"Gaara, if you marry someone you're going to want them to see you for you and love you for you, it's not going to be fun or easy, but it's the best way to go about this. And don't you dare try to intimidate the girl," she said firmly.

"I see," Gaara nodded uncertainly.

"Good, now, I'm tired, I have a long day tomorrow and so do you," she said as she stood, Gaara stood too.

"Temari, do you… have a crush on someone?" Gaara asked.

"Well, that's a loaded question and not something a big sister tells her little brother. But if you must know, I don't know, but I still aim to be myself when trying to make friends and catch guys," she said.

"Thank you for the advice Temari," he said.

"Night Gaara," she waved him out of her room and shut the door. What was it with everyone prying into her nonexistent love life!?

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	31. Part 1: Chapter 31

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 31**

Shikamaru found himself being drained over the course of the next few days as he talked to the Kage at the summit. It felt like there were cogs turning behind the scenes that he could not sense, see or even toy with because it wasn't something he could pry at. However, he found himself counting a victory as all five Kage and General Mifune to sign off on his proposal. He was truly happy that he had won, and the council could suck it! Yeah, he wasn't one to be petty and vindictive, but he was very pleased that his proposal was now policy now, and it was going to work.

It was a step in the right direction for more than just his village, but rather a right step for the world.

"Thank you for your time," he said as he pulled in the signed papers for his work.

"Thank you Shikamaru, but if you would stay a moment there is something we need to discuss with you," Gaara rasped. He looked up and nodded as he shoved his hands in his pockets and craved a cigarette.

"And what can I do for the Kage?" he asked.

"As you know the Allied Shinobi Force is changing, we are bringing in some of the smaller nations to be inclusive to our alliance, and hopefully this will bring about a world change. The Allied Shinobi Force was officially disbanded last night at thirteen past midnight," Kakashi said.

"And how does that keep alliances?" he asked; bewildered.

"We are now the Shinobi Union," Gaara said.

"We will be creating more stability, and your program is the first authorized by the Shinobi Union, the following Kage will need to agree to it, and to bring up their stands of rights, and living, and training, services which the Five Great Nations are willing to provide," the Mizukage said as she looked around the room.

"Then why am I here?" he asked uncertainly.

"There has been much talk between us, and it has come to our attention that you are of the hardest working member for diplomacy, along with the Kazekage's elder sister. We have concluded that diplomacy will be the only way to keep the Shinobi Union working and have come here tell you that by unanimous decision we name you Chief Coordinator of the Shinobi Union," the Raikage boomed and Shikamaru stiffened as it felt like he was being hit by lightning.

"Uh… why not Temari?" he managed dumbly; and it was probably the first dumb thing to ever leave his lips as he stared around the room at the Kage and Mifune.

"We are not showing favoritism by appointing the Kazekage's elder sister, and dictating this appointment through relations rather than actual work," Mifune said.

"I need a minute…" he said and for the first time in his memorable life moved as fast as he could as the panicked welled up in him. it was a terrifying amount of power.

* * *

"He bolted?" she questioned as she stood there after being summoned by Gaara.

"Yes," Gaara said.

"You do realize that he is the laziest shinobi ever," she clarified as she looked at the other Kage who were looking blandly at her. The Hokage and the Kazekage were the only ones standing there with knowing looks then and she sighed. "And you summoned me to do what?"

"You are his friend are you not?" the Mizukage demanded sharply.

"Yes… but again, I ask what is you expect me to do; I am a kunoichi of Suna, and a fellow diplomat, but to think I can do anything about this is presumptuous, you'd have better luck summoning one of his village friends," Temari countered. She knew he was exceedingly close to Ino and Chōji and relied on them heavily, she was an outsider in many ways despite her friendship with him.

"Temari, can you just go talk to him," Kakashi said lazily.

"Fine, but I can't do anything; and I have no idea what you want me to do here," she surrendered as she walked away from the Hokage tower. She remembered how close he was to Asuma and his father and she was betting he'd be at either of those gravesites. She asked the direction to the cemetery and slowly wound her way through the Leaf.

She found Shikamaru sitting at a grave and he had a cigarette in his fingers, sighing she walked over to him and stopped a little ways off from him.

"You do know those will kill you, right?" she demanded hotly, he just took another sharp inhale of the cigarette then.

"They send you?" he asked.

"Kind of," she admitted as she walked over and sat beside him, plucking the cigarette from his fingers as she took a strong puff of it and exhaled. "Damn, that's good," she mused.

"Why are you here Temari?" he asked as he took the cigarette back and continued smoking it.

"Well… aside from the wonderful fact that you bolted out of the Kage meeting, I was coming to see if you're alright," she admitted as she read the name in the grave. Sarutobi Asuma. "Not surprised to find you here though."

"I actually have no idea what to do about this," he admitted as he closed his eyes and tapped out the cigarette.

"Well, it's actually really simple Shikamaru; you either agree to be Chief Coordinator or you don't and they ask the next most qualified shinobi which is probably me; I will turn it down because of how it will appear to the shinobi and civilian world with my brother being the Kazekage, and they go to their third pick, which is probably someone like Karui or Kurostuchi who has no fucking clue what they're doing and breaks what you and I have been building since we were children," she explained. He looked at her as he sighed.

"I never wanted this," he explained.

"No doubt that it was the last thing you'd ever want, but Shikamaru now it's an option so what are you going to do?" she asked.

"You know, all I really wanted was to be just an average shinobi, making and average living," he said and sighed. She chuckled, she sensed there was more to this thought but it was probably something she was never going to be privy to, it was his thought. "And yet, I ended up exerting myself…"

"Shikamaru, as lovely as being ordinary sounds, and no matter the great appeal it has to shinobi like you, it's not an option," she scolded.

"The only reason I ended up in that stupid arena facing you was because of Naruto," he pointed out, she grinned at the memory of the grumpy kid who acted more like an old man than a twelve year old landing in the arena.

"Yeah, but Shikamaru with this position, everything you and I have worked our asses off for, it could be achieved," she pointed out. "You will be in a position to create real change, and even prevent Mirai from dying before she's twenty. The life of a shinobi is a hard one, it hard to survive and harder to make it to where we are, and you could have the power to help her make it here," she said evenly. It was a low blow using Mirai, but she knew how much the child mattered to him and she stood then.

"And what if I fuck this up?" he demanded.

"Not possible, you're the smartest shinobi of our generation; besides me, and you'll be fine, now what are you going to do?" she asked.

"Fine, fine, I'll take the job," he sighed. "It'll be a drag."

"Yup, now let's go before they pick some moron to take th job and all diplomacy is destroyed and the Shinobi Union is destroyed before it's even born," she said and he got up to his feet as they started walking to the Hokage office.

"How did you know where I was?" he asked.

"I figured you'd either seek out Asuma or your father, I just had to figure out which cemetery that meant you'd go to," she admitted.

"That's a drag," he sighed.

"Shikamaru, if you fuck up the diplomacy of the shinobi world I will kick your sorry ass faster than you can blink, does that make you feel better about this?" she asked.

"Not really."

"Just get in there and accept the job," she snapped. "It's a promotion!"

"You sound like a wife," he replied.

"I do not! Now get in there or I'll shove you in there again," she countered.

"You sound very much like a nagging wife right now," he grumbled, she opened the door for him and he walked in reluctantly. She didn't follow as she let the door shut and she walked away from this. Some people were more important to the world than they could ever know; Shikamaru was one of those people.

* * *

Shikamaru reluctantly looked around the room.

"I accept the position," he managed; he couldn't believe that the words were leaving his lips as he looked at every Kage there. "But just what is it that I am doing?"

"You would help with diplomatic relations between nations, create policy, look over foreign policy, and help oversee some of the foreign work of the Shinobi Union, including your own project of Civilian-Shinobi Relations; even I admit that was a good, smart move," the Tsuchikage grumbled.

"Alright, I'll do it, but I ask to pick my fellow diplomats from each nation for the immediate positions," he surrendered and they handed him papers, he formally signed on as the Chief Coordinator of the Shinobi Union then. Once that was complete he looked at his name on the paper as he pulled away and looked up at the other Kage then.

"Thank you Shikamaru," Kakashi said.

"Yeah," he managed.

"Now, there are policies here we would wish for you to read over, and standards for the Shinobi Union to reach for, this is new to all Shinobi Nations, but we do not wish for places like Otogakure to join with their no regard for the true shinobi way," the General, Mifune announced and he nodded as he was handed essentially a novel to go over.

"My first act is appointed Temari as a member of my staff in the Shinobi Union," he said swiftly knowing he'd need another set of eyes that he trusted to review the policies in his hand with him. this was a lot of power.

"That is outrageous!" the Raikage boomed.

"Temporarily, at least until things are more stable, she is a good diplomat, and unbiased in opinions, she is also another I would trust to see something I might miss," he explained.

"Very well, until the Shinobi Union is more official you can work with the Kazekage's elder sister," the Tsuchikage announced.

Shikamaru nodded, and he was quick to leave.

The policy in his hand felt unbelievably heavy and it scared him to have this much power; the responsibility wasn't the scary part. No, it was the power. This was far more power than advising the Hokage, or anything of it's likeness. He was now advising Kage and the Shinobi Union, the prospect was… enormous, and it was terrifying, and he found himself scared that he was going to fuck it up.

Walking to the Suna Embassy he asked to speak with Temari about official business, the receptionist was quiet about this as he waited for a long time, she appeared then.

"What is it?" she asked bluntly.

"I need a second set of eyes," he said as they walked out of the Suna Embassy.

"For what?" she asked.

"For this, and I've named you my right hand for now," he said as he showed her the policies he was holding in his hands.

"Oh… sure," she shrugged. "Let's go do this in my room, I have tea and this looks like it could be an all night read," she said as they started towards the Suna Embassy.

"Thank you Temari," he sighed.

* * *

 **A bit of OOC in this chapter, but I'm trying to get them back in character again.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	32. Part 1: Chapter 32

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 32**

Everything was official for the Shinobi Union, everything. It had taken Temari and himself three days of cram reading, revising, and editing the documents officiating the Shinobi Union, but they had completed the task, handed it back to the Kage for the signing and it was official!

The Shinobi Union was born Tuesday, October 11th, almost five months on the dot, to the official end of the war; give or take a week. No one had actually paid attention to when the war had ended, there was no enemy there to sign an end to the war, so it was sometime around the first or second week of May was when the war had ended, and everything had gone into whirlwind mode to fix everything up again. Now he stood there damn near dead on his feet as he stood with Temari on Friday, October 14th, seeing the Kage off with their escorts and he had to admit he was never so happy as seeing them leave as he watched the proceedings.

"Thank Kami that's over," he sighed as they watched the Tsuchikage's envoy leave and he rubbed his hands over his face.

"I thought it would never end," Temari sighed and he nodded in agreement.

This had been the longest two weeks of his life; with all the needed work and everything, it was amazing he was still upright. He watched as the Konoha shinobi turned back and they all started going back to their normal duties and lives, he walked with Temari then and sighed.

"So, how does it feel to surpass all the Nara men and women before you and become an advisor to not just one Kage, but to the Five Kage?" she teased.

He sighed.

"It's a drag," he admitted and she laughed as they walked through the village. He relaxed a bit as they walked together and began toying with Asuma's lighter; he didn't have cigarettes on him, but he always carried around the lighter.

"You have to admit it's pretty cool though, and you have definitely made your father proud," she mused.

"Yeah, I guess he would be proud," he chuckled as he remembered his father. "Hey, I'm starved, want to join me for lunch?" he asked her.

"Sure, then I'm going home and sleeping for a month," she yawned and stretched to iterate her point. He yawned too because he was truly exhausted. Aside from when he was helping decipher Jiraiya's encoded message and the war, he hadn't ever worked that mind numbing law between looking up laws and amending certain parts of the Shinobi Union, and creating standards all Five of the Great Shinobi Nations could live with he hadn't had to work that hard; ever.

"That actually sounds like a solid idea," he agreed as he finished the yawn and walked with Temari.

"I thought so."

"No need to be smug about it, I was working with you."

"I'm not being smug, I'm just saying it was my brilliant idea," she mused.

"Now you're being a lot like a nagging wife," he sighed.

"What is it with you and the nagging wife?" she demanded.

"I can't call you a nagging sister, that makes me think of Ino," he countered.

"And that makes me a nagging wife?"

"Yeah," he replied and she rolled her eyes.

"Well, that makes you a lazy ass husband," she countered.

"Alright," he shrugged and they walked into Asuma's old haunt for a lunch. The barbeque was nice, even the atmosphere hadn't changed though the place was newly rebuilt because of the Pain Attack.

"This is nice," Temari sighed.

"It is, especially after all that work," he sighed.

"I will never again take for granted teams," she sighed as she cooked her meat and sipped her tea.

"Agreed," he sighed.

"Shikamaru!?" he looked up then and found himself looking at the plain glasses, wild, frizzy blonde hair and serious face of Shiho from the Cryptanalysis Squad.

"Shiho?" he said uncertainly.

"You know her?" Temari asked.

"Yes, Shikamaru and I worked together before the Pain Attack," she said. "I haven't seen you around the village, I thought you were dead."

"No, just busy," he admitted and Temari shrugged as she continued cooking her meat. "I'm working as a diplomat now, what about yourself?" he asked.

"I'm still a Crypographer, I helped organize the salvaged belonging of the villagers after the Pain Attack to return them to their proper owners," she said.

"That's… good work and heartbreaking," he admitted.

"I agree, who's your friend?" Shiho asked with a smile as Temari was about to bite into her pork.

"Temari, of Sunakagure, the Kazekage's sister," Temari supplied.

"Wow, I thought all foreign shinobi were leaving today now the Kage Summit was over," Shiho said.

"No, I'm a temporary Ambassador of Suna posted here in Konoha, I live at the new Suna Embacy for now," Temari supplied.

"Oh, that's wonderful, so we're all still keeping alliances?" Shiho mused.

"Yes," Shikamaru said.

"That's great! I met some nice kunoichi from Iwa and I was worried that I would have to sever friendships," she admitted.

"No," Temari smiled and shook her head.

"That's great, well, I have a shift since the Cryptology Office was rebuild, and the library, so I'll see you around, Shikamaru. It was nice meeting you Temari," Shiho smiled and waved as she left them.

"Nice meeting you too," Temari said as Shiho ran off. "She's nice."

"She's a quiet, non-troublesome girl," Shikamaru countered and Temari chuckled.

"Shikamaru, some of the best things in life are not trouble free," she mused. And he smiled at her sly look.

"I have figured that out," he assured her and continued cooking his meet as he enjoyed his lunch in peace. At the end of lunch, he walked Temari back to the Suna Embassy before he started walking home. It was rather nice to see the frazzled Shiho. Yawning again he walked straight to his room upon reaching the Nara Estate and collapsed on his bed.

He could die a happy man now as he fell asleep.

* * *

Sighing she collapsed on her bed and swore she could sleep for a year after all the crap she had dealt with this past week to officiate that damn Shinobi Union and keep all involved parties to keep from killing one another while they were at it. She swore she could just go to some civilian university now and get a degree in law and world politics and never need to take a single class.

But she was a shinobi, she wasn't going to bitch about her job when it was the best job in the world.

However, this didn't mean there hadn't been times when she had wanted to beat the Raikage's in with her fan, or she hadn't wanted to slit Gaara's throat for opening his mouth to create more work for her, or she hadn't wanted to chop all the Mizukage's hair off with her bitching and wishes for marriage laws, or that she hadn't wanted to pop the Tsuchikage in that potato of a nose for whining about having to work with the other shinobi villages.

Of course, none of that had happened. Still, she had wanted to do some of it. About the only three who did not drive her batshit crazy while working on those proposals were the Fifth and Sixth Hokages, and Mifune. The Hokages, because Tsunade had all but officially stepped down as Hokage, and Kakashi because he just listend, observed and inputted useful tips, and Mifune because the samurai worked to keep the peace between the five Kage.

No matter, as of October 11th there was an official Shinobi Union, and they would be welcoming in the smaller shinobi villages. Just because their nations were not allies did not mean that the shinobi couldn't be. It was going to be important that they had strong ties with one another so that way the Fifth Great Shinobi War never happened, and that was all the shinobi world was trying to prevent.

And face it, the civilian daimyōs did not care what their shinobi did, so long as they received a part of the profits from the jobs, and shinobi were shinobi and they didn't stop working; ever. Even now she had no doubts that the secret world and games of shadows that the shinobi played was resuming for their nations. But now they were forming clear cut alliances and friendships. Speaking to the frazzled blonde today at lunch had shown her that: shinobi of other villages were forming friendships.

Exhaustion over took her swiftly as she curled up on her side and let the sleep over take her. it was a truly exhausting job working as a diplomat.

The knocking on her door had her bolting up as a kunai slipped from her sleeve to her hand.

"Temari, there is a message here for you from the Kazekage," a voice called.

"'M coming," she yawned and stood as she walked to the door of her room while rubbing her eyes.

"What time is it?" she yawned as she took the sealed message from the girl.

"It's evening," she said.

"I didn't sleep that long did I?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"It's Saturday."

"What!?" Temari gaped at the woman.

"Yes, it's Saturday."

"Fuck, thanks," Temari said as she held up the message and then shut the door as she walked back to her bed. It was Saturday, yesterday had been Friday. Sighing she opened up Gaara's missive.

It wasn't a message from her Kazekage, it was a message from her little brother; two completely different things if you asked her. Falling back on her bed she started reading the message over and saw all the little things her brother didn't know how to say.

Apparently the Suna council had a list of 'matches' for Gaara and he was nervous about this. Matsuri was with him and that wasn't helping matters as Matsuri explained girls to Gaara. Temari would have paid to be there for that conversation, but now she was just sighing and rubbing her brow before curling up on the bed again to sleep. She would write Gaara when she was awake and not about to fall sleep at the simple drop of a hat.

This week had wiped her of everything she had, and now she was tired.

She sighed as oblivion took her again. There was no dreams this time, just sleep and that was what she needed as she enjoyed her big, comfy, soft bed.

Waking again at the crack of dawn she stumbled to her bathroom and took a hot shower. Scrubbing her hair, body and teeth she felt human again. Pulling on running gear she armed herself with a simple kunai out of habit and left the Embassy for a jog. It had been a while since she had had a morning to run.

"Morning Temari," Ino smiled, and Temari saw the jogging blonde.

"Wait up, I'm running too!" she called out to the blonde and darted after her. It was a crisp October morning and she enjoyed the changing leaves as she ran with Ino.

"Kage Summit is over!" Ino shouted in glee.

"Yes it is! Thank Kami!" Temari chuckled.

"How's everything going with you?"

"The usual, you know," she shrugged.

"I guess, I'm just happy that the summit is over and now I can just go back to Intelligence," Ino huffed.

"Hey, what was with all the security during the summit?" Temari huffed.

"Having all the Kage in the village, we wanted to make certain that there was nothing that could go wrong," Ino panted.

"Makes sense," Temari surrenedered. "How long do you run?"

"A lap around the village this fine morning, got to get my beautiful ass back in shape," she chuckled.

"Ugh! I'm joining," Temari panted.

"Beauty is pain, no pain, no gain, come on!" Ino huffed and picked up the speed as they jogged. Temari hated running.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	33. Part 1: Chapter 33

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 33**

"Ino, this is ridiculous," Temari sighed.

"No it's not! And you and I are about the same size, and you'll look devastating in red," Ino countered. Temari sighed; she wasn't going to admit she liked the dress. No, that would be giving Ino too much power. Then again, Ino did mind read, unintentionally apparently, which had Temari frowning as she looked at the silver blonde.

"You're not prying in my head right now; right?"

"Nope, I'm trying really hard not to do that!" Ino said and Temari sighed.

"Done?"

"Nearly, perfect…" Ino said and Temari dared to look down at the dress Ino had stuffed her into and was making minor alterations to so it didn't sag on her. It was scarlet, it felt like silk, breathed like Suna cotton, and stopped midthigh; which would have bothered her but she grew up in a desert. "Done, take a look!"

"I look ridiculous," Temari sighed.

"Not at all, you look beautiful and when I'm finished with your hair and makeup Shikamaru's tongue will be on the ground," Ino mused deviously. Temari just sat there and let the younger woman have her fun, Temari's hair never cooperated with anything; even her tails; so she was wondering when Ino would admit defeat and Temari could go home and put her feet up for the night with a book and some tea.

"Alright… hair I done, but no touching," Ino said after about an hour, Temari glanced herself in the mirror and blinked in shock at her hair neatly pulled back; not a frizz in sight, and it fell loosely t her shoulders.

"Good Kami Ino! Is this real!?" she gasped and reached to touch her hair only to be slapped away.

"Yes, and I am serious about the no touch, your hair is worse than Sakura's."

"Are we done now?" Temari sighed.

"No, now it is time for the makeup, but not to worry, it's only a little to highlight your best features," Ino said.

"And men fall for this?" Temari sighed.

"All the time; you'd be surprised what looking sexy could do to a man," Ino chuckled.

"So how'd that date with dog boy go?" Temari asked as Ino started primping her.

"Splendid, I agreed to see him again, granted that's in November, but still; we have a lot in common and it could be something, so I'll try it," Ino said.

"And Sai?"

"We're still friends," Ino said.

"I thought you two were a thing," Temari admitted.

"No," Ino breathlessly said; and Temari thought if Ino was shadowing her eyes at the moment she'd be seeing the silver blonde blushing.

"Uh-huh," she snorted.

"Lips now," Ino said.

"Is this necessary?" Temari asked in exasperation.

"Just shut up and do it, or I'll possess your body and do it myself; don't think I won't," she warned. Temari did her own lips then and Ino handed her sandal black heals then. Temari pulled on her mother's necklace as she stood up then and looked at herself in the mirror.

"I'm going to freeze," she sighed.

"Here!"

* * *

Shikamaru was at the restaurant, he was dressed nicely since Ino had warned him she'd possess his body and dress him herself, and he was sitting there with… tulips. Roses just seemed like too much for a girl he had never met and his mother liked tulips.

Sighing he walked into the restaurant; he wanted the bond with Ino back and if that meant enduring a date then he'd endure the date.

"Nara," he said to the host and was guided to a table in the corner where he'd like to be and nodded as he sat down to wait. Twenty minutes, she was late, and then he looked up, his breath hitched and as crazy as it sounded his heart stopped.

Now, he had always thought Temari to be rather beautiful, terrifying, but beautiful, and now looking at her he couldn't look away. She was gorgeous, her hair fell softly to her shoulders, her red lips were slightly pouty, her eyes were seductive, and when that white coat; he recognized as Ino's, slid off her to reveal that red dress he felt his mind melt. Every curve, every line, every shape there was on her body was not hidden with that red dress, it was only highlighted as she sat across from him. Shikamaru couldn't even find his mind or tongue; they were both thoroughly lost at this moment.

"Hey, sorry for being late, but walking in these shoes is a crime," she sighed. No, having legs like that was a crime; his mind screamed.

"You're fine," he managed, his throat felt tight as she picked up her menu and looked it over. "You're my date?"

"Yes, Ino duped me; lesson learned; never get drunk with a manipulative telepath," she sighed and he smirked then. No doubt he could relate to Ino's manipulation with Temari.

"The salmon is good here," he informed her.

"Really? I've never had salmon, trout or bass when on a mission, but never salmon," she mused.

"How are you?" he started off lamely; it was really hard to think with her sitting there in red and her smoky eyes staring at him. all he wanted to do was kiss her but he wasn't suicidal as he stared at her lips. They twisted up in a feline smile as she answered.

"I'm tired, but good, the company's good, and the food should be good so I guess this isn't a wasted evening," she mused.

"Guess not," he agreed, his eyes continued to wander over her and he wondered just what was wrong with him.

"Shikamaru, my eyes are up here," she said sternly.

"I know, you never dress up," he said softly as he looked into her brilliant emerald eyes. "It looks nice on you," he admitted.

"Thank you, though I'm interrogating Ino about what she did to my hair, it's never this well behaved," Temari chuckled.

"You are breathtaking," he admitted.

She stared at him with startled eyes.

"Really?"

"Really," he conceded.

"This isn't going to be a weird date where we part ways with a ruined friendship? Right?" she asked.

"No," he promised. He liked Temari far too much to ruin what friendship they had.

They ordered dinner and he found himself having the most fun he had had in ages; since Asuma's death really. He laughed at stories with her and told a few of his own. They talked books, activities, goals; and though he knew most of hers' it was nice to see her blush and bit her lip at some of her answers.

"Oh Kami!" she laughed, her head falling back and he smirked. "Did she really?"

"Yeah, and you can threaten her with the story should she ever try to blackmail you again; it's my leverage on Ino," he admitted.

"Oh, I just might," she mused. They continued eating, chatting, and made it through dessert without something happening. Paying for the bill he didn't wince at the price for it had definitely been one of the better evenings of his life since losing Asuma and his father, and he walked out with Temari. She was bundled up in a white coat which fell to her knees.

"I've never been in Konoha in the winter," she mused.

"It's going to be a cold one this year," he predicted.

"Will there be snow?" she asked.

"Possibly, it has to do with how the storms blow in," he admitted.

"That would be interesting," she mused.

"It'll be wet," he predicted. Konoha did not have that thick pretty snow when they got snow, they got the wet icy snow which clung to everything and brought forth a bitter chill.

"Suna does not get snow, at all, ever, the days are so warm, even in winter," she sighed.

"Really?"

"Yes, it's an endless year of heat," she admitted.

"Well, if it snows, there will be snowball fights, snowmen to build, and snow to shovel; it's a drag really," he sighed.

"Mm, but you think everything is a drag, and troublesome," she teased.

"Because it is," he countered.

"Perhaps you are just a grumpy old man."

"I'm not grumpy or old," he argued.

"I don't know, even my brother who is Kazekage, acts younger than you," she chuckled.

"I am now the Chief Coordinator of the Shinobi Union, I have no time to act young," he sighed.

"Shikamaru, you're young, enjoy it," she mused.

"And what about you? You're young," he pointed out.

"But older than you," she stated.

"Not my much."

"Any plans as the Chief Coordinator of the Shinobi Union?" she asked.

"Keep them from killing each other," he replied blandly. The Kage were about as diplomatic as rutting bulls, it was tiring trying to deal with that many alpha personalities clashing.

"Thanks for walking me back to the Embassy," she said when they reached the entrance to the living quarters. He wanted to kiss her, he did, but he wouldn't.

* * *

"Sure," Shikamaru replied, and she saw him staring at her mouth. She wondered if he would kiss her, she didn't know, but she was curious all the same as she looked at his mouth.

Never in her life had she kissed a man and it not be a mission, she had never felt passion, and never felt attraction, she had slept with a few men for missions and she had never actually enjoyed it. She had never enjoyed a kiss, and she found herself wanting a kiss. And now she found herself genuinely wanting a kiss, and the young man she wanted to kiss her was looking ready to run which had her thinking fast.

"I had fun tonight," she admitted.

"I did too," he replied, and she decided she would just take what she wanted. It was just going to be a kiss and she desperately wanted one kiss, which is why she reached out to him and pulled him into her. Shikamaru never had a chance to react against her as their lips crashed together.

It was like kissing lightning as she felt something course through her body. Shikamaru didn't take charge of the kiss, she did though. The moment his lips parted she took charge to kiss him like she had never kissed a man, his hands were in her hair as her hands fisted on his shirt.

Shikamaru kissed her like he had all in the world to kiss her as she felt her back hit the door and she sighed when he pulled away from her with a contemplative look.

"The tulips are for you," he murmured. She felt them in her fingers and she watched him stroll away. She chuckled to herself before walking into the Embassy, tugging off the heels and silently made her way to her suite. Once there she leant against the door and let out a shuddering sigh as she slid to the floor.

That was just how powerful the kiss had been; it had turned her mind to goo, her body into a hot mess, her legs into jelly, her stomach into a fluttering fit, and had her heart slamming in her ribs as if she had run a marathon.

Good Kami, if that was what people had and talked about where sex was concerned she could see the appeal now.

Steadying herself and recentering herself she slowly stood up, walking past the mirror she stopped and smiled in delight at the sight of her mused hair frizzing slightly and looking like a set of hands had been in it.

She liked the way her lips were swollen too.

Pulling her hair loose she shook it out and walked to her bathroom as she scrubbed her face clean and stepped into the shower.

That night she pulled open her window and she tried not to think about the throbbing desire pulsing on her skin as she shut her eyes and tried to sleep. Rubbing her legs together she ignored the throb as she lay in the cotton sheets.

And this was just a kiss, her mind pointed out.

She sighed, if she ever actually had sex with an electric feeling like that, she'd probably die of pleasure.

Groaning at the thought she rolled onto her stomach and smothered her face for a moment as sleep took her.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	34. Part 1: Chapter 34

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 34**

Shikamaru was uncertain how to proceed the coming day when he had woken up from a painfully hot dream; the sort of dream which had him aroused, panting, and gasping at the desire which had warmed his mind and tricked his body.

After a very cold shower; and he meant frigid when he said cold; he walked to work uncertain of what to expect from Temari.

That kiss, the one she had taken from him, had been electric, it had been thrilling, it had stopped time and though it had only been a few moments it had knocked his knees out from under him and burned itself in his mind before he had pulled away and left her.

He was thinking about the kiss as he walked into the building that day and saw Temari sitting there, her hair pulled up in it's four tails, her purple uniform was to her mid calves and her feet in sandals. He did a double take of her as his heart wouldn't settle as he looked her over.

"Hey, so I've been reading this proposal, and it should be denied, I think it's a trap," she said and he blinked dumbly at her.

"Uh…"

"Shikamaru?" she snapped.

"Sure, I'll read it over," he shook his head trying to rid himself of the kiss memory. She handed him the proposal and their fingers brush, it was like being shocked and took all of his self-control not to stumble, or let the file go.

There was an impulse in his head to grab her and kiss her again before his reason pointed out every reason that was a bad idea.

"Are you alright?" she asked as she walked to her desk, his eyes were on her hips.

"Yup," he choked and mentally kicked himself for watching her hips as she walked away.

Temari was a friend; his reason screamed.

Temari was a sexy woman; his lust pointed out.

"Alright, and I'm thinking that we need to expand the minimum standards for the Shinobi Union, I don't mean lower them so Oto joins, but for villages like Amegakure would benefit in major ways having the Five Nations look out for them and helping them," Temari said.

"Yeah," he lamely agreed as he took a seat at his desk and tried not to stare at Temari. But good Kami was that ever hard, she was so fucking beautiful. Beautiful, gorgeous, sexy; he had always known she was all that but since she had actually dressed up last night and looked the part he could not forget the image.

"What are you doing for the Rinne Festival?" he blurted out and sat there trying to figure out where the hell that question had come from.

"Um… I don't know, I've never been to a Rinne Festival, we have something different in Suna," she said. "Why? You asking for me to go with you?" she smirked.

"Perhaps," he conceded and it was her turn to look stunned, which had him mentally smirking in triumph.

* * *

Temari was beginning to think that the kiss was a dream; in fact she had convinced herself of that in the shower this morning and even as she walked to the office. She was here before Shikamaru; unsurprising; and she had settled into her work. Thirty minutes later when Shikamaru had walked in and all her thoughts flew out the window she knew that the kiss had been no dream and she cursed herself for it because now she wanted another, and maybe a little more.

Her subconscious had pointed out that he was her little brother's age.

Her lust had pointed out that he was the only man to ever brave enough to be near her.

And until he had asked her to the Rinne Festival she had been convincing herself that this changed nothing between them. Nothing.

Now she was staring at him as he looked at her.

"Well, perhaps, I would like to go," she mused. He smirked then. "But if I do go I will be asked properly, and whoever asks will be picking me up, and will show me the entire festival, or I'll just ask Ino to arrange a date for me," she said.

He was not winning her over with a perhaps; she refused to be excited by a 'perhaps' for an event that happened in about eight weeks.

"I'm certain the guy will think it over," Shikamaru assured her.

"Mmm, he better," she chuckled and they resumed their work relationship and friendship after that. it was as if there had been no mind melting kiss between them. At least, it was that way until the evening as she finished her work.

"See you tomorrow," she said. Shikamaru looked at her then.

"You're leaving already?" he asked.

"Yeah, I finished the last report," she said.

"I'll walk with you, I have a thing with Ino tonight," he admitted and she nodded as they both walked out of the office. She didn't dare to think about the kiss, she didn't try to think about it and she just focused on walking to the Embassy.

"Dinner was fun last night," she awkwardly started when the electricity between them was too noticeable.

"I enjoyed it," he admitted.

"Perhaps we should do it again, as friends, and not with Ino's interference," she proposed.

"That would be nice," he admitted.

"That's for walking me to the Embassy," she said as they neared it.

"Yeah," he sounded strained and she glanced at him. it was really tempting, overly tempting, to kiss him right now just to see if all of… that?... was there or real or if it had all just been in her head. As they neared the doors leading to the private quarters of the Suna Embassy she found herself eyeing his mouth and thinking to just take what she wanted again.

What was the harm in being selfish on occasion? It wasn't as if she always got what she wanted.

"See you tomorrow," she said as she stopped in the door way.

Shikamaru was the one to move then, she gasped, her mind was numb as she was pressed in the door way, his mouth was on her and he lazily kissed her as his hands held her wrists. Temari let him kiss her as she felt it all again as all her thoughts disappeared and his tongue lazily traced her teeth.

The kiss was by no means expert, but it still knocked the wind out of her and it had her reeling as she lazily kissed him back. Shikamaru pulled away first, his hands releasing hers' and she grabbed him then. He never had a chance to say anything as her mouth crashed onto his again and she kissed him with all her worth.

It was magnetic, it was a force that pulled her in, and once she had him she was stuck. He kissed her lazily as if there was all the time in the world and she desperately wanted more. His hands slowly slid up over her hips and up her sides to her back as he slowly pulled her closer.

Funny, he liked it slow but she wanted it all desperately.

Again he was the one to step away as they tried to catch their breathes again, green and ebony stared at one another before she let out a shuddering breathe not brought on by the October chill.

"Shikamaru," she whispered, he stared at her mouth then and he smirked.

"See you tomorrow," he said and left her there. Once he was gone she let out a shuddering breathe as her head fell against the wall.

Kami, that was something she couldn't forget.

Slowly she walked into the Suna Embassy, pulling off her boots she started towards her room.

"Temari! A message from the Kazekage," a young man called out and she turned recognizing Hayato.

"Thank you Hayato," she said as she took the sealed message and recognized the unbroken Suna seal of her clan. "Anything else?" she asked when he didn't leave her.

"I… I saw you with that… Konoha shinobi!" the young man blurted out.

"Hayato, what I do with my personal time and with my personal business is none of your concern," she said blandly.

"But… I heard that the council…" he blundered and she sighed.

"Hayato, it is not your concern, leave it at that, and leave whatever it is you think you saw alone because it is none of your business, understood?" she demanded.

"Ye-Yes ma'am," he squeaked.

"Good, know that if you speak of it to anyone I will take you for a sparring match and it will hurt," she warned and walked back up the stairs to her room to leave the young man trembling. Normally she would have felt a tiny bit guilty about scaring one of her own, but not in this matter.

Once to her room she pulled her hair down, fell on her bed and opened the letter.

* * *

Shikamaru made his way to the Yamanaka Flower Shop and decided that that kiss indeed was just as potinent as it had been in his memory. And it was just as thrilling, it was something he would love to expierence again, and without Temari dominating the kiss he had been able to take it slow.

He found he had liked taking his time, even if he was twenty minutes late for Ino's now.

"Hey Shikamaru," Ino greeted when he used his key to get into her place.

"Hey," he managed as he took of his shoes.

"Hey," Chōji greeted and he smiled at his friend when Ino appeared with dinner and tea.

"So how'd your date go?" she purred.

"Fine," he elusively answered and saw her blue eyes narrow on him.

"Uh-huh," she managed. "Look, this time around the rules are simple, we're not going to pick at what we do or who we're seeing; even if we don't like the person, and we're going to be supportive, nearly six months without you guys and I miss you."

"Fine, however, if we don't like someone who we're seeing we're allowed to at least say it," Shikamaru said firmly.

"Deal, and no more conversations about sex lives," she pleaded.

"It was one thought Ino," Shikamaru argued.

"Uh-huh, but the point is that you thought it," she countered.

"What a drag," he sighed as he leant back on the couch.

"I like the terms," Chōji admitted.

"Good, now, I will reestablish our bond but first, Shikamaru; I'm dating Kiba," she blurted out and he sat up then.

"You're dating Kiba!?" he blinked.

"Yes, and you'll be supportive or I keep us severed until you go insane," she warned.

"Kiba's great," he lied. He felt that Kiba and Ino together was likely to be a box of highly explosive material and fire, it wasn't going to last in the long term and Ino was probably going to be hurt. Shikamaru didn't like the thought, but he could endure Kiba over Sai, the former Root member was just too weird.

"Good, dinner and then we'll reestablish the bond," she smiled and he and Chōji just complied with her demands.

Dinner wasn't overly bad, it wasn't tense, and it wasn't awkward as they started to fill in eachother on all the going ons in their lives at this moment. He chuckled at a few things Ino had said, agreed that Chōji working in his diplomatic program could be a huge asset and overall enjoyed himself.

After dinner they reestablished the bond, he felt Chōji's hunger driven thoughts, and he could feel Ino subtle invasion of his mind.

It felt good to have it again. Like he had regained to limbs he had learn to live without but missed.

Walking home with Chōji they walked in silence and he felt relieved feeling Chōji and Ino in the back of his mind.

"I don't think Ino dating Kiba will work out," Chōji said as he munched on his chips.

"I don't either but we're supportive, remember," Shikamaru said.

Chōji nodded.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	35. Part 1: Chapter 35

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 35**

Life for a diplomat got busy with the Rinne Festival coming in, and with everything that was still being set up for the Shinobi Union. He was surprised he could even remember his own name with all the work he had going on, and it was that very work which had had him not thinking about the two kisses he had shared with Temari in October.

Well, at least he didn't think about them until he was asleep and that electric thrill filled his dreams, plagued his mind and had him bolting from his precious slumber painfully aroused and gasping desperately for air before he would stiffly make his way to the shower for an ice shower. If that didn't help he would remember Naruto kissing Sasuke and that was a fast way to dispose of the dreams he was having of Temari. Seriously, that memory could kill the mood for anyone.

No matter, at this moment mid-November he was reading over the proposed budget cuts from a Tsukimi Kido and he sighed in exhaustion as he rubbed his brow.

Last night had been a very explicit dream about Temari and everything she could be doing to him, and everything he could be doing to her; he swore when he woke it was real until he looked around and she wasn't there, and he was harder than a rock. It had been an empty morning after a dream like that, which was why he was here early and trying to work.

It wasn't working because his concentration was shattered every time that dream from last night shadowed his mind.

Groaning he ran a hand over his face and looked up when the door was open.

"You look like shit," Temari said as she pulled off her very thick coat and hung it up. She was wearing her long black uniform which looked so far from sexy that it wasn't helping; he wondered if she was a curvy as his dreams made her out to be.

"I didn't sleep," he admitted as he pinched the brow of his nose and wondered what the hell was wrong with him. He'd expect perverted thoughts like this from Naruto or Kiba but him!? NO! Shikamaru was supposed to think with his head.

"Are you sick?" she asked and walked over.

"No," he said calmly.

"Dreams about the war? Mine have been keeping me up on occasion, I know a good tea to know you out though," she said as she sat at her desk.

"Yeah," he lied as he leant back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. The war was the last thing on his mind most nights when he went to sleep. Well, aside from the occasional phantom thought of playing a game of go or shōgi with his father or Asuma and then remembering they weren't there.

Thinking of Asuma reminded him he should go visit Kurenai and Mirai, they had recently pitched money into buying a shop with Tente, Lee, and Guy and had moved there. A bit of guilt hit him at not having helped them move, so he would visit them tonight.

"I can't believe it's been nearly six months," she sighed.

"Me neither," he admitted and leant forward on his desk. "It's been a hell of a year," he admitted as he looked at her. She nodded.

"We're going to need more help," she sighed.

"Yeah," he sighed. "That's troublesome."

They continued the paperwork for the rest of the day and he felt his mind turn to mush as he worked. But the moment he was finished with the paperwork was the moment he was going to go visit Mirai and Kurenai.

"Last proposal from Iwa," Temari said and he frowned. Iwa had been making a lot of demands as of late, and it was getting to be troublesome to figure out what they did and did not need.

"What do they want now?" he sighed.

"They want to trade medicinal herbs for their rare metals," she said.

"We'll read over it tomorrow, bring Sakura and Ino in to read the herbs and decide then," he decided.

"Good idea, because I haven't heard of half these herbs," Temari said.

"Alright," he shrugged.

"Plans tonight?" she asked as they both left the office.

"Yeah, visiting Mirai and Kurenai," he said as they walked down the stairs. "Haven't seen them since May because of all the work," he said bitterly.

Life as a shinobi was supposed to be doing what he wanted, when he wanted, and he was supposed to be an average shinobi. When had he become a key member to the Shinobi Union? Or the Allied Shinobi Forces? It wasn't like he stood out with an excellent work habit.

"They'll like that, see you tomorrow," Temari waved and he saw her walk towards the Suna Embassy.

Shoving his hands in his pockets he walked through the bitter, chilled streets of Konoha, and fought back the shivers that were ripping through him. Reaching Tenten's weapons shop he walked in.

"Sorry, we're closed," a voice called out.

"That's alright, I'm here to see Kurenai and Mirai."

"Shikamaru!?" a soft voice called and he looked up the back stairs where a woman with unruly black hair and red eyes stood. He smiled.

"Hey," he greeted.

"It's so good to see you! Mirai will be so happy!" she smiled and he chuckled as he walked up the stairs after her. Walking into the apartment which was still being set up he saw his favorite baby in her play pin chewing on a stuffed animal with gusto.

"Mirai, look, it's your Uncle Shikamaru," Kurenai cooed.

"Hey," he smiled and the baby girl squealed as she reached for him. Looking to Kurenai for permission, she nodded, and slowly he reached over and picked up the babe who grinned a drooling grin as her chubby hands grabbed his shirt.

"You are getting big," he observed, Mirai grinned and her scarlet eyes were bright, he smiled back.

* * *

Temari made it to the Embassy where she pulled her hair down and walked to her room to fall on her bed in exhaustion.

She had not been sleeping well these past weeks because of hot, explicit dreams about a younger man with spikey black hair and a scowl on his brow.

In those dreams he did naughty, wonderful things to her. Things she hadn't experienced despite having slept with targets before. He did things to her that she had only heard rumors of, and read in romance novels; when she hid those under her bed for her secret pleasure. He was nothing like anyone she knew, and she found it genuinely impossible not to think about that electric thrill she had felt when they had kissed.

Sighing she sat up and dismissed the track her mind was on as she got up again, dressed again, and figured out where she wanted to go for dinner.

Dressed and presentable again she walked out of her Embassy and started navigating the cold streets of Konoha, she wasn't going to have ramen for dinner, but she was in the mood for a hot meal and something delicious. Surprisingly she found herself walking into the local grill she would eat at when Shikamaru and she would share a work dinner and smiled at the hostess.

"Temari! Are you eating with Shikamaru again?" the plump woman asked.

"Uh, no, he's having dinner with his friends I think," she said as she walked after the woman.

"Foolish boy, he shouldn't leave his date alone, another man might whisk you out from under his nose," the hostess said sternly.

"Oh no, we're not…" she started.

"I heard from my friend that you two had a lovely date, about time, there needs to be life in the young ones again now that the war is over," the woman continued. Temari felt her face heat at the thought of dating Shikamaru.

That was a pleasant thought, but he was too young, even if she liked him she wasn't going to marry someone her little brother's age. It wasn't going to happen, and she didn't care how attractive or sexy or smart he was. She was not going to be a cradle robber.

"And you two are such a lovely couple, so sweet together, it must be nice to have a man who loves you so," the woman said.

"Shikamaru and I… we're not… we're friends!" Temari said in a fluster. It wasn't easy for her to get flustered, but this woman was managing to fluster her, and her mind was choosing now to replay the very explicit dreams. Oh Kami!

"That's good, I married my best friend would been forty-two years this year if Pain hadn't…" the elder trailed of wistfully and Temari sighed.

"I'm sorry," Temari said softly.

"Don't be, he was a grumpy man, and lived a good life; drove me nuts with his laziness," the hostess chuckled. "Well, here you are, should I get you your usual?"

"How about you surprise me, I'm in the mood for something new," Temari decided.

"Oh, my son will be happy to hear that, he loves freedom in the kitchen!" the elder chuckled as she bustled away and Temari sighed as she sat there staring at nothing as she thought over what the elder had said.

Sighing she shook her head and decided it was foolish of her to want to have something she couldn't have, especially from Shikamaru when he was one of her dearest friends.

A bit later she quietly savored her meal and decided that Konoha cooking was definitely a delightful perk, where in Suna it was a hardy, bland meal.

"Temari!?" a voice said and her head turned to see a stunned Shikamaru walking over to her.

"Hey Shikamaru," she replied as he sat across from her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

"Dinner, I felt like eating out, I thought your mother was cooking tonight," she said as a waiter came by to take Shikamaru's order.

"No, she's eating with Chōza and Airi tonight," he said after placing his order. She nodded, the inosihkacho bond seem to expand outside of the initial three forming the bond. At least from what she had seen, the three clans: Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka, they were all tightly bound. She wondered just why that was, there was probably a very interesting story behind it, but some clan tale no doubt that few outside knew.

"So you were eating out?" she asked.

"Ino's working, Chōji's started training for the outreach program," he said.

"Ah, no company for you," she chuckled as she finished her meal as he was served.

"I am sitting here with you," he pointed out.

"That is true," she mused.

They talked as he ate, she paid for her meal and he paid for his so they didn't think it was a date.

"Thanks for sitting with me," Shikamaru said.

"The hostess thought you had changed your mind about standing me up," she sniggered at the memory and he sighed.

"Troublesome," he muttered.

"But funny all the same," she mused as she folded her arms and huddled as they walked the street.

"She was very shocked," he said.

"Apparently, the restaurant owner where we had our 'date' told her we were a couple," she said.

"That's a drag," he said. She chuckled.

"Yes, well all the same we're still friends," she said with force cheer.

"Yes," he said as they walked to the Embassy. She waved farewell to him as she walked into the Embassy and sighed. Dating him would not be a wise idea, especially with the Suna council planning arrangements for her marriage. Once in her room she pulled her hair down and fell on her bed as she thought over the fluttering in her heart with a cool head. It was just attraction, she doubted it was something deeper, or a crush, she was a young woman attracted to a smart, handsome young man.

It was perfectly healthy.

The butterflies in her stomach though annoyed her.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	36. Part 1: Chapter 36

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 36**

Temari was startled at how November slipped by in a blur of work and incoming flurries of snow. It was her first time being in the cold; traveling into a cold area did not count as being in the cold because she was usually moving or she was inside quickly. But now she walked the chilled streets, and she felt the cold as it came rolling in. And today she walked with Shikamaru through the village, her teeth chattering as they walked to a street vendor for hot food on their lunch hour.

This was something else that Shikamaru had initiated; lunches together, he'd pay, it was almost like a date; if she didn't happen to be so bloody cold!

"Here," he said and shoved something in her mitted hands. It was warm.

"Thanks," she chattered; Temari was quickly coming to the conclusion that she did not like the cold. And she would rather be home in Suna where it was warm,

"All this is for the Rinne Festival?" she asked as they hurried back through the streets and up to their office with lunch in hand, she nearly wept for joy at walking into the heated building again.

"Yes," Shikamaru answered. "It's three weeks away, and there's a lot to do. It's the largest festival of the year, besides maybe the summer solcist which was missed because of the war's aftermath," he said.

"We have a different festival in Suna," she admitted as she set the lunch on their desk and slowly peeled off her heavy coat; one she had bought earlier this week because it was too fucking cold!

"What is it?"

"The Kaze Festival, but we celebrate it at the autumn equinox," she chattered and furiously rubbed her hands together. She could not feel her fingers! Or her nose.

"Huh, sounds like a festival for the Kazekage," Shikamaru said. She rolled her eyes at his ignorance in this tradition of hers' but took no offense.

"It's a festival to honor autumn harvest, it's very important to Suna that we have a harvest or else a lot of people will starve," she pointed out. "And it's not for the Kazekage, it's a festival for the old wind gods; I think," she said uncertainly. "I'm not sure what it's origin is, but it's fun, there's games, food, and laughter, it's great fun, and people dress up, go with their families or dates or friends, and there's these prizes…" she trailed off and grinned.

She had only been a few times but it had been a lot of fun.

"Huh, the Rinne festival is for the Sage of Six Paths; I think," he admitted. She chuckled as her shivering slowly subsided and she sat at her seat to pull out the warm meal she could smell and her stomach was rumbling for.

"I did not think that," she admitted as she sighed at the warmth of the container filling her fingers; it was so warm! She melted in bliss as she lifted the lid and took the first bite of the warm noodles. It felt so warm, and tasted so good!

Temari did not like the cold.

"It was an important spiritual week before it was a big festival," he admitted as he pulled apart the top of his box of food.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think the Hyūga Clan still takes it seriously as a spiritual week, even have ceremonies and everything, and when the Uchiha Clan was still here they too took this festival seriously. I don't know what it is that the Hyūga do for the Rinne Festival, just that the head of the clan is never involved with the festive portion of the Rinne Festival," he said lazily.

"Huh, that's interesting," she admitted as she leant back in her chair and continued slurping her noodles. It was so warm! She was enjoying it, though it was probably burning her mouth and tongue.

"It's tradition," he countered.

"And is the Nara Clan not ones for tradition?" she asked dryly.

"No, come the Ame Festival in April the Nara Clan, the Akimichi Clan and Yamanaka Clan, all have their own ceremony," he said and she stared at him.

"For what!?"

"It's Ino-Shika-Chō business," he admitted then.

She sighed, in other words, it was a ceremony that no one would ever witness or see or know about.

"Well, I guess that your families and their strange bond means that the Clans have a lot of secret rituals," she mused.

"You make it sound like a cult," he sighed.

"It kind of is," she chuckled.

"Troublesome woman," he grouched and she laughed a bit. "It's just important, to us," he said.

"That's alright, cults are interesting," she purred.

"Sixteen generations!" he countered. "That's how long the Ino-Shika-Chō alliance has been going and Kami willing it'll keep going," he said.

"Whoa, sixteen!?" she blinked, that was impressive with how turbulent the shinobi world was and alliances were ever shifting.

"Yes, it's a drag, but it's good," he said and she smirked as she slurped her noodles.

"I bet it's a drag, but sixteen generations is impressive," she mused and he nodded in agreement as he sat there and they resumed their work. she just savored being in the warmth of the office because when she peeked out the window she cringed at the sight of the flurries dancing around outside. She took it back, she didn't want to see the snow.

"You should go to the Rinne Festival, it'll make our alliance look strong," Shikamaru said.

"I have come to the conclusion I do not like snow, or cold, or snow," she said tartly.

"Come to the Rinne Festival," he said softly and she looked at him then, her breath hitched at the sight of that sincere look in his eyes.

"And who would I go with? It'll look odd if I go alone," she pointed out.

There was a pregnant pause between them as she looked at him and he didn't look away from her.

* * *

Shikamaru couldn't look away from her as they both sat there in silence for a long moment. He could hear his heart slamming mercilessly in his ribs as they stared at one another.

"Me," he answered softly and felt his cheeks heating up as they looked at one another. She blinked and he saw the blush on her cheeks then. he did not know what was compelling him to ask her out. But he knew that he wanted to go to the Rinne Festival with her, and though there were a thousand ways this could go he hoped for the best.

"You're asking me to the Rinne Festival?" she asked ludicrously.

"Yes," he said firmly. His mind had fast forwarded to about every outcome for this decision already but he didn't want to lose this chance. He didn't know where it was going to go but he knew that he didn't want to lose it.

"Yes…" she said softly. "I would like to go to the Rinne Festival with you."

"Alright," he nodded. It was in three weeks, but he knew that it was important he asked her before the eighth of December because the Festival was on the seventeenth and now he had asked her. She had said yes, and he couldn't help but think 'wow'. It was not something he had really intended to ask of her but now that he had he wanted to go to the festival with her, and was looking forward to it.

"What do I wear to the festival?" she asked.

"Um… ask Ino," he suggested because honestly most girls wore modern formal, or traditional formal and that was a choice they made. If he was going to the Festival with a date he would wear traditional garb, at the insistence of both his mother and his Clan, and probably under the threat of Ino.

"Alright," she nodded and her face was still red as she sat there eating her lunch.

They would talk more about this as the date drew near, he wasn't going to discuss it right now since he was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that she had said yes to going to the biggest festival in Konohagakura with him. Him! Not that he hadn't thought about it from time to time, but to actually have her going with him was so stunning that he was trying to think of everyway this could go.

He was just amazed that she had even said yes, he had never thought he'd get a girl like her to say yes; that wasn't to say he had thought that he'd never get a girl to say yes to him, it was just; it was Temari. Temari! One of the most untouchable women, and one of his friends, and the only one on his plane of thinking, and she had said yes to him. It was an amazing feeling in his mind.

They finished their work and Temari was bundling up.

"Will it be this cold at the Rinne Festival?" she asked as he offered her, her ear muffs.

"A bit colder," he admitted as they left their office. "But being in the crowd, everyone is pretty warm."

"Ah, I don't like the cold," she muttered as they walked outside and he saw her huddle in on herself as she hid her nose in her coat. A smirk pulled at his lips, but he didn't let it win.

"It's not so bad," he admitted.

"Shikamaru, it's cold, and it goes right through me, and I live in a desert that doesn't get cold besides at night; and at night, we are moving so you're not that cold," she chattered.

"Suna has a winter," he pointed out.

"No, we have a hot season and a hotter season, plus a week of rain; there's no cold!" she hissed and pressed into his side. Now he smirked at her antics; it wasn't that cold in his mind, but perhaps he was used to a Konoha winter.

"The festival will be fun, and warm," he assured her.

"Really?"

"Food stands are very warm," he assured her and chuckled at her skeptical look. They reached the Suna Embassy, and the foreign impulse to lean over a bit and kiss her flooded his mind. Shikamaru didn't kiss her though as he got the door for her trembling hands.

"Thanks," she mumbled through her coat.

"See you tomorrow," he smiled a bit as she hurried into the embassy.

"If I don't freeze to death walking to work," she grouched and he chuckled as she shut the door and he walked home.

It wasn't that bad, this year was a mellow November, it was bitter, cold, windy, and had flurries, but the year before November had been atrocious with storms that were slush from the sky and it clung to everything. Yes, this wasn't that bad in comparison.

He made it home and pulled off his coat, boots, and scarf for his mother to appear then.

"That was Kurenai, she's going to have Christmas here, and Tenten's settled on a date for her C-section," his mother said.

"Alright, Mirai coming with her?" he asked as he pulled his wet hair down and ran his fingers through it trying to pull the ice out of it.

"Yes," his mom beamed.

"What about Ino and Chōji?" he asked.

"I haven't asked, but the feast is tradition," she pointed out.

"I'm getting a hot shower," he said and left his mom behind as he hurried into his room and shut the door. his heart was pounding, his mind was spinning, and his stomach was twisting up in knots.

He had asked Temari, the Temari, to the Rinne Festival.

As a date!

Holy shit, his mind whispered and he smirked in triumph as he hurried to his shower and started warming up his cool body and he thought about what insanity had possessed him to ask her to the Rinne Festival.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	37. Part 1: Chapter 37

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 37**

Shikamaru was bored.

He was nervous, that was natural he supposed, but mostly he was feeling bored as he stared out at the grounds. Today Chōji had left, after all his studying he had passed his tests, and Shikamaru was very happy for his friend, but…

Now he had no one to hang around. Not that it was that important to him, it was just a drag to have nothing to do with the Rinne Festival coming. Everyone was getting all couple-ly, it was a bit troublesome. Today he had tried to go to the market to get a hot snack only to be ambush by the 'Shikamaru Fan Club', weird, he knew and it was a hassle because so many girls were asking him out. also it was the first he had ever heard of the club; which was weird, he had a feeling Ino had something to do with that.

He had declined them all and made and escape to the Nara estate skipping the stupid idea he had had of hanging out with Temari for the day since he was bored.

Sighing he stared at the dead gardens as the flurries scattered about him and he shivered a bit with the cold wind which was slicing through him. There was a bite in the air, he noticed.

"EH!" a voice gurgled which had him turning to see a bundled up Mirai concentrating as she slowly came towards him, he was just stunned staring at the baby as she came to him.

"Hello," a kind voice greeted as he got over his stunned feeling as he scooped the crawling baby up and walked into the house.

"Hey Kurenai," he smiled reflexively as the baby girl in his arms grabbed his finger and gummed it enthusiastically.

"Mind watching her for a bit, I have some shopping to do and Tenten is having a girl's day with Temari, Ino, Hinata, and Sakura," Kurenai said.

"Sure," Shikamaru smiled at Mirai's cry of frustration when he wiggled his finger.

"Thank you," Kurenai smiled.

"Of course, she's a troublesome girl," he mused.

"Blame Asuma," Kurenai chuckled as she walked away.

"Come on Mirai, I'm going to teach you go," he murmured to the top of that unruly black head of hair. Gently he pressed his lips to her head as he inhaled that clean, innocent baby scent that belonged to her, he loved this baby.

Sitting at the game board he held Mirai in his lap and grinned at his girl as he started showing her the game and she happily gnawed on his finger. Good Kami did he love this girl, she was so innocent, he wanted to protect her and shield her from all the harm in this world.

He stiffened and wondered just what Temari was doing with Tenten, Hinata, Ino and Sakura. he looked at Mirai then.

"I have a bad feeling that my date and best friend are up to something and about to gang up on me; you wouldn't know anything about that would you?" he muttered.

* * *

To be clear, when Temari had asked Ino for advice on what to wear to the Rinne Festival she did not plan to have this talk at Tenten's baby shower as she and the other girls helped set up the nursery. Well now that the setting up of the nursery was over they were onto the portion of the night Tenten and Ino had arranged which was why she was now standing on the coffee table with Ino and Sakura hemming some purple silk Ino had insisted she wear.

Temari had no doubt that this kimono she was draped in was a family heirloom of some sorts, and that it cost more than the Kazekage office in Suna. Which was why she was a little nervous standing there with these two going around hemming the bottom. She scowled though because she would reveal nothing about this making her uncomfortable.

"I do have my own kimono," she started again.

"Shush! You will not insult a respected clan of Konoha or insult Suna by showing up in a desert kimono to freeze your ass off at the festival, catcha a cold and be at Sakura's hospital!" Ino snapped.

"I doubt she'd be at my hospital Ino," Sakura sighed.

"This is too much for the Rinne Festival," Temari pointed out blandly because she wasn't going to admit how much she liked the kimono. She would sooner bite her tongue than admit to that girly side of her.

"Have fun with it Temari!" Tenten called out.

"But this is a bit much," Temari protested.

"Not compared to what I will be wearing," Hinata mused softly and Temari stared at the Hyūga. "It's the duty of a Hyūga to set an example for the rest of the village to follow."

"I get that, but… I mean, Ino, isn't this a family heirloom or something?" Temari said uncertainly.

"It is, and it's mine to give as a gift to who I choose," Ino countered.

Temari looked at the ceiling and tried not to fidget. She wouldn't admit it, not now or ever, but she did have a secret girly part of her which was thoroughly lapping up the attention and wondering if Shikamaru would like the kimono. Not that he would ever compliment her that way, then again…

He hadn't looked like a man with a plan when he had offered to go to the Rinne Festival with her.

"I just… isn't it a bit much for a village festival?" Temari sputtered.

"No, it's a bit little, but at the Rinne Festival, very few things are too much," Sakura said as she stood and handed Temari the wine. Temari downed it and sighed.

"Fine, but if he says this is a drag it's your fault Ino," Temari growled.

"I doubt he'll be able to form a thought when I'm finished with you," Ino smiled wickedly and Temari wondered just what the hell she had gotten herself into.

* * *

Shikamaru was laying on his futon, his mother was out with the Akimichi, and he had tuckered Mirai out so he was contemplating the idea of a nap. The baby weight on his chest wasn't suffocating but rather comforting as he gently rubbed Mirai's back and stared at the ceiling in his room as he lay by the fire. It was bitterly cold out, he'd have to speak with the clan members about a few modernizing ways other than just plumbing. It was just as important to get some heating in these old houses.

The baby on his chest gurgled and he smiled a bit as she shifted a little. He kind of wanted a kid of his own now, but he was willing to wait for a bit on that because they were still rebuilding the world and he needed to find the right woman.

Temari's face flashed in his mind and he found himself wondering what it would be like if they were to get married.

It wasn't a ridiculous notion, at least to him.

They got along fairly well, though Temari was merciless about teasing him and tormenting him at times; but he gave as good as he got where she was concerned. They were friends, which was a good start. There was a mutual attraction between them; and it was intense as hell but it was mutual all the same. Temari was neither too ugly nor too pretty (she was gorgeous). And he had a respect for her because they could be equals in a world where he rarely found an equal on his level of thinking.

She was not really the type of girl he imagined for himself, but whenever he thought about his future now he could really only see her there. It was a bit maddening really. And it didn't help that he had no idea what to do about liking her when she was one of his dearest of friends.

Shikamaru lifted his head when the door rattled open and he looked at Kurenai.

"I see she's sound asleep," Kurenai chuckled.

"Yeah, she's a great kid," Shikamaru smiled as he stroked Mirai's spine.

"Mmm, I heard you were going to the Rinne Festival with Temari," Kurenai said as she sat beside him.

"Yeah, it'll show unity to the people," he said. It was stating the political reason and not the real reason but it was something he was saying all the same.

"Tell me Shikamaru, do you happen to like this woman?" Kurenai asked as she gently picked up the sleeping baby.

"Yes, Temari is a very good friend of mine," he evasively answered. He was finding his thoughts towards Temari were not very friend-ish as of late.

"Shikamaru?" she said in a sharp tone.

"I don't know at this moment Kurenai, when I work it out I'll tell you," he decided.

"Good, remember for as much as Asuma wanted you to look out for Mirai and myself, I'm to look out for you as well," she scolded as she left him.

"It's troublesome," he sighed and stared at his ceiling again.

* * *

Temari walked into the Suna embassy with a kimono in her arms as she hurried up to her quarters. Hanging up the silks she would be wearing she stopped in front of the mirror and stared at herself.

It was the first time she didn't look older than she was. At least from her observations.

She looked like a young woman, there was a slight smile around her lips, there were no dark bags beneath her eyes, and her hair; though a bit soggy from the flurries outside, it was soft. She chuckled a bit, not her snide chuckle, but one of shocked delight.

She actually looked her age for a moment, she didn't look like a Suna kunoichi hardened by all the horrors of this world and it was a different sight.

Discarding the foolish notions she walked into her bath for a hot shower to warm her shivering body up and contemplated writing Gaara to tell him about everything that she had accomplished here in Konoha.

Turning on the shower she stripped and all but purred in delight at feeling the steam rolling out of the shower when it was hot before stepping in to sear her skin.

Ah, this was the life! Slowly she raked her fingers through her knotted hair and closed her eyes.

A shiver raced down her spine when she thought about Shikamaru, it was a heated shiver though as she remembered those kisses. Those incredibly electric, lazy kisses, the ones which had her pulsing with desire as her head fell back.

What kind of a lover would he be? She wondered.

Probably the thorough kind, she mused.

But the question was: did she want to find out if he was a thorough lover or not?

It was a question she equated to pandora's box. For once it was opened she didn't think that there'd be any closing it. Besides, it wasn't like she'd be the best of lovers for a guy like Shikamaru to have, her only task when she had slept with men was to see to it that they spilled their secrets.

When men were 'happy', they talked, and she was very good at making them talk the few times she had done so.

Sighing she shut off the shower and walked out of it to wrap a towel around her. Temari steeled her resolve then, she wouldn't ruin one of her best friendships by sleeping with Shikamaru even if she wanted to explore the attraction she felt for him.

Groaning she rubbed her neck and pulled out her nightie as then toweled her hair dry.

Besides, Shikamaru was three years her junior, he was her little brother's age, and she did not rob cradles. No. It wasn't happening.

She fell back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, there was an ache in her heart and her body, and it was driving her nuts as she shut her eyes and slowly slid her fingers over her skin to relieve one ache.

Besides, Shikamaru was probably a virgin and she didn't know if it was wise to mess with virgins.

Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, a small voice whispered she was a liar.

* * *

 **For those of you wondering I had a wonderful holiday, lots of turkey and naps, lots of food, and set up Christmas. Though I am still trying to figure out how it is that I am the daughter who always ends up on the roof to set up lights rather than my sister; I have an irrational fear of falling off the damn roof. It isn't the height or the fall that scares me so much as it is the SPLAT part that terrifies me. Weird, I know, but it is what it is; I guess.**

 **Anyways, until New Years this will get weekly updates rather than the original dual weekly updates. After New Years... who knows. =)**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	38. Part 1: Chapter 38

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 38**

Temari was ready the day of the Rinne Festival, other girls in the embassy had helped her with the kimono and looking nice, her hair had been tamed into an traditional Suna formal style with a few warm toned copper jewels in her hair and around her neck before she wore ear-warmers and stuffed her hands into mittens. Walking out of the embassy she felt like she could handle the cold; at least that was her thought until she was out the door and in the cold. Then she wanted to turn around and march right back into the warm embassy.

However, the sight of a young man dressed in formal garb, green to be exact, and he was waiting for her stopped her as she steeled herself against the cold and hurried to him. Shikamaru took her hand in his then as they walked to the Festival without a word.

Her teeth were chattering far too much for her to say anything anyway.

"Wh-W-Why a-a-are-aren't-t-t-t y-y-yo-you c-c-c-co-col-cold?" she chattered in irritating noticing that he wasn't even shivering and she felt like she was going to be blown away. It wasn't fair! Even with fluffy ear-warms she couldn't feel her ears!

"Because, I'm used to winter," Shikamaru chuckled.

"N-N-No f-f-f-fa-fai-f-fair," she managed to chatter as she scowled at him. Her chattering teeth worried her; she was thinking they might fall out with how she was chattering, but finally they walked into the crowd and Temari stared at the mass of people, the glowing warm stalls, and all the people here.

"W-W-Wo-Wow," she chattered in genuine amazement as for a moment the cold was forgotten and her eyes took it all in. She was assaulted by the delicious smells of warm foods; meets, rice, breads, sweets, fruit, vegetables; it smelt so mouthwateringly good that she could feel herself about to start drooling. Her body slowly took in the warmth as they walked into the crowd and slowly she felt the shivers leave her as she looked around. It was so beautiful!

Children ran by laughing, wearing masks similar to the ANBU's masks of Suna, but here they seemed more… alive. The people were talking, the stall owners shouting out for customers, and there were fireworks being set off as kids ran around with sparkers. It was a different world from the wartorn world she had been helping patch up. Here, it was alive, it was joyous, and she felt a smile threatening to turn her lips upwards. But she just stared with wide eyes.

"It's beautiful," she whispered softly.

"Yeah, it's something else," he admitted, she glanced at him and saw him looking at her. Temari smiled at him.

"Alright, so you know this festival better than I do, what do we do first?" she asked.

"Come on," he smirked as he pulled her along. She learnt what he meant by the warmth of the crowd and the vendors. She found it pleasant, but the walk back to the embassy would no doubt be a cold bitch. The first thing she found herself going to do were the games, she chuckled at the silliness of the games as they walked by but then she saw him pulling her to Kurenai and Mirai.

"Hey Shikamaru, hello Temari," Kurenai greeted.

"Hey Kurenai, we were coming to take Mirai for a bit," Shikamaru said.

"Oh, would you? I want to go get something to eat," Kurenai sighed.

"Of course," Temari smiled as she watched Shikamaru take the baby girl in his arms. The red eyed squirt giggled hysterically as she was held, and Temari thought her to be adorable.

"Meet me back here in an hour, Mirai can't stya out too long with how cold it is," Kurenai said.

"Of course," Temari agreed as she wiggled a finger before the baby and the child grabbed it to gnaw on it. Mirai was so damn cute! She had wild black hair, and those big, innocent red eyes, it was too much, even for Temari who had never thought of a baby as being cute or anything before now.

"Say hi to Temari, Mirai," Shikamaru bounced the girl.

"She's adorable," Temari said as she pulled away. "So where too?"

"The fish, babies love fish; we'll win Mirai some fish," Shikamaru decided as he carefully held the baby and took her hand. Temari thought it was adorable, but she also thought that Shikamaru would make a great father one day.

"Mirai likes the fish?" Temari asked.

"I don't know, but Kurenai said she wouldn't stop staring at them," Shikamaru admitted.

"Cute," Temari admitted, Shikamaru actually looked flabbergasted as he stopped and stared at her. "What?"

"I just… never mind," he shook his head with a slight blush dusting his cheeks, she looked up at the starry skies and prayed for a good night momentarily before she was walking with Mirai and Shikamaru again.

Sure enough the girl squealed in delight when they came to the game to catch the fish in paper nets. She eagerly clapped her hands as she stared at the fish with an openly wondrous expression.

"Fish Mirai," Temari chuckled, she did not want to be wet so she snatched the baby from Shikamaru.

"Temari!"

"Uh-uh, it's cold out, and I am not getting wet, no matter how cute Mirai is, for fish, because it's cold out, you're fishing, I'm holding Mirai," she decided. It was her ultimatum and Shikamaru must have known it because he took the offered net and started focusing. Temari just held Mirai and chuckled at the baby's wonder at the pretty fish swimming about in the small warmed pool.

"Hurry up Shikamaru, Mirai wants her fish!" Temari goaded.

"Be patient, nagging woman, fishing is about patience," Shikamaru sniped back with a smirk.

"Patience or laziness?" she asked.

"Shush, let me concentrate," he snapped.

"Uh-oh, we irritated uncle Shikamaru," Temari told the giggling baby who clapped her hands excitedly. Temari decided that kids weren't all that bad, and Mirai was too cute for her own good.

* * *

Shikamaru was having a lot of fun as he sat there patiently waiting for the opportune moment to strike and collect his honorary niece her fish. However, he was distracted a little and it was because his own heart was slamming mercilessly in his ribs as he looked at the girls; 'his' girls, his mind told him. Temari and Mirai right there, and Temari talking nonsense to baby Mirai, it had him imagining things.

Things like if Temari was holding their own child instead of Mirai. If they had a kid he'd want it to have her eyes, he loved her cat green eyes, and how sharp they were. He liked the thought, a Nara with Temari's eyes, it was an enticing image in his mind.

He blinked the image from his mind's eye as he looked at the fish again and focused. Swiftly he caught three fish, which were put into a warm back of water for Mirai. Shikamaru paid the stall owner and walked with Temari and Mirai.

"Look at the pretty fish Mirai," Temari whispered, and the baby was entranced by the three fish circling the small bag.

"Ih!" the baby squealed and he chuckled.

"Your fish Mirai," he grinned.

"Ih!" Mirai shouted again.

"My, what a lovely family, would you like a picture!"

"Oh, we're not…" Temari started.

"Sure," Shikamaru cut her off then and she glared at him. He shrugged. "It'll be a drag if we don't take the picture because he'll pester us," he informed her.

"But we're not a couple," she hissed.

"No, but he doesn't know that, and you're a friend of mind," Shikamaru pointed out blandly as he walked with her to the back drop. Temari held Mirai, he slipped his arm around Temari's waist as she stepped into his side, they smiled and there was a blinding flash.

"Lovely, lovely, absolutely perfect!" the photographer shouted. "How many copies?" he demanded.

"Three," Shikamaru said as he pulled out his pouch to pay for them. One for him, one for Temari, and another for Kurenai. Collecting their photos they continued to roam the games.

"I didn't think you should have left him under the impression that we're a family," Temari grumbled.

"What do you think I should have done?" Shikamaru asked. Part of him; a weird part; was crushed that she didn't want to be seen as a family with him, and another part was curious as to why this was. However, a larger part of him was picturing having a family with her for real. He liked the image his mind was conjuring for him, and he didn't doubt that Temari would be a great mother; if a little strict.

"Because in Suna it is not proper for an unmarried woman to be claimed as a part of a family with a man and a child and not be family," she said carefully.

"Alright, I see your point, but still, it's a good photo," he admitted as he showed her a copy. She chuckled.

"It is, and Mirai's staring at those fish," Temari chuckled.

"That's why I held them up," he mused.

"Good thinking, then she's not obsessed with my jewelry."

"I thought so," he admitted; in the picture he was holding fish by him, at Mirai's eye level and she was enraptured by her fish. It was cute.

They traveled to several other stalls, he won a few other small things and then they were back to meet Kurenai. Shikamaru reluctantly handed his honorary niece over and smiled a bit at Mirai's yawn.

"Thanks Shikamaru, Temari," Kurenai said as she accepted the fish.

"Any time," Shikamaru said as he ruffled the sleepy baby's hair then.

"She's a great kid," Temari smiled.

"She had fun, she's all tuckered out, and she's go fish!" Kurenai smiled as she left with Mirai and he smiled.

"Want something to eat?" he asked Temari.

"Sure, I'm starved," she admitted as they started walking off together.

"Good, so am I," he admitted as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"What do you recommend?" she asked.

"Anything, it's all good," he shrugged. They ended up stopping to try several things, Temari would compare them to Suna's food, and he would just nod his head. Truthfully, he hadn't thought about Suna or what the festivals there were like. Finally, they sat down to eat a real meal at one of the venders and he sipped the warm tea.

"Is it really that different from a Suna Festival?" he asked as they were served their plates.

"Yeah, we have dances, and the stalls, and games and stuff, but back home it's a bit more… calm, here it's so alive," she chuckled and he nodded as he watched a pair of children come running through laughing with their sparkers in hand.

"I guess," he shrugged.

"Also, everyone here is having so much more fun," she chuckled.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but it's still too cold for my liking," she shivered as a breeze ripped through her then.

"This is not cold," he pointed out.

"Really?"

"Really."

"It's cold for me," she snapped then.

"Who's the cry baby now?" he chuckled as he took a warm bite of some beef.

"I'm not crying! And if I did, it'd be ice cubes before the tears hit the ground," Temari sighed.

"Uh-huh, troublesome," he muttered.

"One of these days I will take you to a Suna festival and you will see that you are living in the cold," she hissed.

"Perhaps," he shrugged. He sincerely doubted it was that cold, and he didn't want to think about how it could be worse. Then he saw the flurries and smirked; Temari was just going to love this.

"What are you smirking at?" she demanded and looked up.

He smothered a laugh when she yelped at a snowflake hitting her nose.

"Cold! Cold! Cold!" she covered her face and glared at him.

"Festival is not over, eat up," he ordered.

"Since when did Mr. Lazy get so bossy?" she demanded.

"When I said we'd do the Rinne Festival, eat."

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	39. Part 1: Chapter 39

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 39**

"So what do we do now?" she asked once they were finished eating. Shikamaru thought about that for a moment, there was plenty to do in the festival, stuff that was far more entertaining than games for children. Not that he hadn't had fun with Temari and Mirai with those games but he kind of wanted to do something else with Temari.

"What do you want to do?" he asked her carefully. He wanted to take her dancing, and see the fireworks, and there also a few other sweets to go try.

"Well…

"I've never tried Konoha dancing," she mused.

"That's a drag," he sighed, but a light punch on his shoulder had him looking at Temari again. "Dancing it is."

"Good," she smiled and they walked to where the dances were set up. Though he had wanted to do the dancing with her he hadn't done dancing in a… ever. It was a drag. But with Temari he felt that there could be an exception; he liked her enough that he was willing to try.

Arriving where the dancing was set up, the music was playing and filling the air as a few couples danced. Shikamaru was careful in how he held her to be proper; mostly because of how this would look with a Konoha ambassador, and a Suna ambassador. He wanted to hold her closer than what he should though.

Still, he could feel her curves, he could feel her body, and he felt her heat and as his arms held her and her arms came to him and slowly they started moving with the music in the crowd.

"Wow, I didn't know a lazy ass like you would know how to dance," Temari teased.

"That's because you're leading," he countered as she did take charge of the dance.

Temari smirked then. "Someone has to pick up the slack," she mused.

"What a troublesome woman," he sighed, he was thoroughly enjoying having her this close again. There were many time he had held her close, but he hadn't ever really savored the feeling. It was like catching Ino when she left her body or walking with Sakura, there was nothing to be noticed. This time he had noticed her curves, and how she was there.

It was one thing to look but another to actually feel.

"I am not that much trouble Shikamaru," she chuckled.

"You're trouble," he assured her. All women were trouble, it was just a matter of not getting on their bad side. Besides, he had spent a lifetime avoiding getting on Ino's bad side, Sakura's, and his mother's. Evading women's bad sides was a specialty of his, and with Temari he always worked to avoid getting on her badside.

"That's rude!" she laughed, he smirked. "Thanks for coming dancing with me."

"It's a drag," he sighed. She chuckled and he kind of wanted to kiss her again, she was so damn pretty. Far too pretty for her own good as they moved.

* * *

Temari wanted to get closer to Shikamaru, really close. She was so damn cold! And he was warm, he smelt good too, and it was distracting. His eyes were distracting her. Besides, she wanted to have another kiss. Which was why she was standing at a respectable distance from him; she would not do something stupid and embarrassing and something she couldn't take back. Kissing him was something she couldn't take back, which was why she was looking above her.

The lanterns were pretty, the colors, and the lights, and above all that was a snowy sky; which she didn't like overly much. But for as much as she didn't like it she found she liked being held by Shikamaru.

"Hey, how about some drinking, we'll see the fireworks too," she said. Liquor would warm her, it was good that way, and she wanted to warm up! The cold was not something she liked.

"Sure," he nodded and she chuckled.

"Ooo, look, Ino is with her boyfriend," Temari whispered in Shikamaru's ear. He scowled as she spun them so he saw Kiba holding Ino closer than proper. Shikamaru wasn't happy which is why she took his hand and smiled as they passed Naruto and Hinata.

"So, drinks?" she asked.

"What a drag," he sighed, she smirked.

"I bet I can drink you under the table," she mused.

"No doubt, I don't drink often," he admitted.

"Oh?"

"No, it makes my head feel like sludge."

"Mine too, three drinks then," she decided.

"Alright," he nodded as she rubbed her frozen, mitted hands. Why, why oh why did it have to be so bloody cold in this winter!? Sighing she found herself resting her head on Shikamaru's shoulder before she could stop herself. She was so comfortable now that she didn't want to more from where she was. And Shikamaru didn't seem to mind as they walked.

They stopped at a small stall set up for drinking, she ordered her sake as she sat and was fast to feel it's burn as it warmed her belly and warmed her body. She liked this she sat with Shikamaru then. he downed his drink too, she sighed.

"That's good," she whispered assuredly.

"It's alright," he mused as there was another pouring. Temari eyed it for a long moment before looking at him and the sake.

"Thank you for tonight," she smiled.

"It's been… fun," he said as they both downed their second shots.

"Really? Shikamaru, I don't believe that I've ever heard you use the word fun to describe something; you cry baby," she chuckled.

"I have fun, and that was years ago, I'm not a cry baby," he chuckled.

"No, I don't suppose that you are," she mused dryly. She really wanted to kiss him as he they both downed the third and final sake. She didn't know what she was doing for the next few hours, but she had a feeling that everything in her life was about to change tonight.

* * *

The next hours for Shikamaru were kind of a blur, kind of a fun, but as he held Temari's hand and guided her to the best place to see the fireworks.

"If we're sitting on some cold roof, no thanks, I don't want to freeze," she chattered.

"Temari, we're not going to freeze, come on, don't be such a girl about it," he warned her as he pulled her along.

"I am a girl!" she hissed.

"Perhaps, but not always," he mused. She scowled at him but didn't back down from his challenge as he pulled her up and they slowly moved over the Hokage's tower. He would go up to the mountain but that would freeze them to death. Sitting up there he pulled her beside him and swung his legs over the edge.

"Cold," she hissed as she joined him.

"Come on, just sit down and enjoy the show," he said as he pulled her close, she slowly swung her legs over the side of the building and they stared at the darkest grey as they waited.

"What show? There's nothing here, it's cold and the fireworks are going to be soon, can we please go somewhere warm," Temari shuddered, she pressed into his side and he smirked at having her that close.

"It's coming, soon," he assured her, knowing that the fireworks were coming within the next minute.

Sure enough the first whistle of the firework flying screeched through the air, then there was a boom of color as the sky was illuminated bright red. Then there were greens, blues, purples, more reds, a few pinks, yellows, Shikamaru glanced at Temari then.

"Wow," she whispered.

"No fireworks in Suna?" he teased as he looked back at the display.

"I will have you know that a desert is highly flammable, ours is no exception, we have fireworks, on special occasions where we can contain the sparks so we don't burn the village down," she said with a straight face. He chuckled then and looked at all the colors, then he glanced at Temari who was staring at them with wide eyes.

He moved so slowly he didn't even notice he was moving until his lips were on hers, she gave a startled gasp but he found her hands to find their way to his neck as she pressed closer and pulled him closer. Shikamaru felt that thrill race down his spine as his fingers traced her jaw as he kissed her slow.

She tasted of the sweets and of the sake they had drank earlier but there was a unique flavor there too as he tasted her. It was her, he thought, it had to be her. pulling away he tugged her bottom lip and looked at her.

"Shikamaru," she whispered.

"Couldn't resist," he admitted.

"Alright, well, I can't resist either!" she hissed, then she grabbed his front as she yanked him to her hard, his mouth crashed onto hers and the kiss was fierce. Half his brain died then, he thought.

* * *

If Shikamaru thought for one second that this was just a one kiss deal then he was going to learn different. Temari's arsenal of seduction was limited but Temari was determined. She didn't care about the consequences as she kissed Shikamaru with everything she had.

It didn't matter that he was her little brother's age, it didn't matter anymore.

She liked Shikamaru, she found him attractive, and she'd be damned if she lived longer without knowing what was between them. It wasn't like she'd be marrying him after all. Shikamaru and she fell back on the roof, she lay over him.

"Temari," he managed as she kissed his jawline then.

"I'd say I'm sorry but I'm not," she murmured as she found his pulse and lightly pressed her lips there. His arms tightened on her and pulled her closer. She gasped at the sensation and looked up at him.

"I have wanted to do that for a while," he murmured.

"Mmm, me too," she reluctantly admitted as she lifted herself over him, smiling slightly as she pressed her lips to his and tangled her fingers in his hair. Again she felt his hands through the layers of clothing as he lightly traced her body.

The kiss was ravenous, her mouth moving on his as she invaded his mouth, she couldn't get enough. There was a dark electric fill coursing over her spine and heating her soul to the core as her body pulsed with desire. She wanted him, she wanted it all, she wanted… she wanted Shikamaru to give her everything, she wanted so much from him.

His hands grabbed her hips, she groaned a bit and he pulled on her bottom lip.

"I don't know if we should continue this," she admitted.

"Want to see where it goes?" he whispered as her brow rested on his, her eyes looked at his lips.

"Very much so," she conceded. "But… I also leave this April for Suna."

"Then we'll see where this goes," he decided as he pushed her off him, she got to her feet, he got to his as well and offered Temari his hand.

"Fine, but we're going to my place; it has a heater," she decided, her voice was still a bit husky from the kisses, but that seemed to make him smile. Her own lips curved a bit.

"Whatever you want," he decided as she took his hand.

"You might regret saying that," she warned.

"Um… just so you know… I've never…" he started nervously, she chuckled internally at his reddening face.

"I know Shikamaru, but I have, I promise you will not regret this," she assured him and kissed his cheek lightly watching more color flare on his cheeks. "And it'll feel like nothing you've ever felt before," she whispered in his ear.

"Troublesome woman!" he hissed at her, she chuckled then as they hurried through the streets as the fireworks boomed overhead in an array of colors.

She couldn't find herself to regret this or want something else as Shikamaru entwined their fingers.

* * *

 **Busy week this week, lots of writing and other stuff to get done so I won't have much time. So, in exchange I decided to give you an early posting of this week's chapter.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	40. Part 1: Chapter 40

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 40**

Temari shoved him against the back of her door once they were in the safety of her quarters, her mouth on his as his hands hesitated for a moment then they were gripping her silks. The heat, the rushing blood to warm her numbed fingers and face, the electric thrill of kiss Shikamaru and the need she felt for the first time in her life. Her fingers gripped the garments he wore as she pressed herself as closely as she could, his hands pulling her closer as she kissed him with everything she had.

They parted panting, she stared at his eyes.

"You can turn back now," she whispered softly remembering that Shikamaru was all but a kid, he was her little brother's age, and she his senior by three years.

"No," he shook his head, his cheeks turning a tint of pink, her lips perked at their corners and his hand was holding her head as he leant over for a kiss. She let him lead, she just surrendered as he kissed her slowly, the heat and passion pouring into it as his tongue traced her mouth and she slowly brought her hand to his cheek.

This kiss, though filled with heat and passion, was the kind that had time stopping as he pushed them away from the door.

Temari pulled away from him, as she turned around.

"Ever undo a girl's obi?" she asked mischeiviously.

"Uh… no…" he admitted but she smiled as she felt his hands hesitantly tugging at the material. Then it fell to the floor she turned around on him again as she pressed her lips to his and let her first layer fall open. Shikamaru just blinked as she pulled away.

"You lead," she promised.

"Um…"

"Or I can," she decided as she grabbed his hand and guided him to the bed. Shikamaru wasn't acting like a hesitant virgin, but then she doubted any man did, Shikamaru just looked at her like she was something exotic. Pushing him back onto the bed she smiled a bit more at his expression.

"Temari…?" he questioned.

"Just lay back, and enjoy," she murmured as she leant over him and softly kissed him. She wasn't in any hurry tonight and she was determined to make this memorable for him as she pulled away and looked in his heated eyes. Biting her lip, she stepped back and slowly started peeling off her layers.

Normally she let the man undress her but this was different.

She watched Shikamaru's gaze on her as she slowly revealed herself to him, it wasn't really a sensual act for her, it was always practical, but tonight she watched him watching her and felt sexy. The clothes pooled around her feet as she slowly slid them off and then she brought her hands to her hair. the jewels and dangles were simple to pull out but as her wild hair escaped it's hold she knew it was a frizzy blonde mess.

"You're drooling Shikamaru," she teased, feeling her cheeks heat as the heat filled her veins again. There she stood, bare as the day she was born and he was staring at her like she was a morsel; she loved it.

"Kami, you're beautiful," he murmured.

"Mmm," she hummed as she slowly walked to him, swaying her hips a bit more than normal as she came to stand between his legs. His eyes were roaming over her, and she smiled as she leant over him. "Really?" she purred.

"Y-Yes," he stammered.

"A woman likes hearing that," she mused as she brought her hands to his chin and kissing him how he liked. Slow, but she wanted more as he fell back. Temari slowly guided his hands to her hips as she straddled him. Shikamaru was slow at first, like he didn't know where to touch first but she let him be.

Moving his garments aside she slowly started pulling off his layers, she wanted him naked too.

Hands slowly, and lightly, slid over her hips, to her ribs, but when they lightly grasped her sensitive breasts she gasped as she pulled away from the kiss and stopped pulling at his clothes. He pinched her nipples lightly and she stared at his hands. They were keening her slowly, she groaned a bit as her head fell back.

Slowly the touches became more confident as he teased each breast and he sat up to suck on her pulse. His tongue slid over her skin, his teeth lightly grating her pulse and his hands. She had forgotten what she was doing as she gripped his thighs. Between her legs she could feel his bulge growing as she moved her hips to tease him.

His mouth slowly traveled down her throat to her collar bone, she tugged his hair down because she wanted to feel it as he nipped her bone. She gasped as she shut her eyes. His hands left her breasts as they moved to her hips, then grabbed her ass. The force he used startled her as she stared at him, he looked in a daze as she fell back on the bed, he rolled atop her.

"Shikamaru!" she gasped as his mouth kissed her chest then the top mound of her breast.

"You drive me insane," he whispered as he slid his tongue over her breast then swirled her nipple. The heat, the warmth, the wetness, she whimpered in delight as she clung her hands in his hair.

His hands ghosted her curls as the came to rest on her upper thighs. She wanted him to touch her but she didn't say anything as she bit her lip to keep in the shout she had when his teeth lightly tugged her nipple. The man was a menace! A slow menace, and she was loving it as she whimpered. He repeated the motion a few times before he suckled her nipple hard and she yanked a hand out of his hair to bite her knuckle. The heat had her mind going into a haze as she squirmed against him. If she didn't happen to know better she'd have thought he had done this a few times before as she lay there feeling his tongue, teeth and mouth tormenting her breast.

"Shika…!" she strangled out when she felt his fingertips creeping up her thighs.

 _Oh Kami! Please!_ She pleaded mentally, she needed to be touched! His fingertip traced her slit lightly then left as he pulled away from her swollen breast. She stared at him as he sat between her spread legs with that curious look he would have from time to time when he encountered a problem. It was that heat in his eyes though which had her squirming and aching as her own hands slid over her body.

She needed to be touched! Not looked at! Whimpering, she bit her lip, as she felt an embarrass flush grace her cheeks, but it didn't matter as her fingers found the thatch of curls.

Shikamaru's eyes were wide, and she internally smirked at that look. Ever so slowly she dipped her fingers further south as she parted her folds. The way Shikamaru turned red, the unevenness of his breathing and the look in his eyes, all had her continuing as she pinched her nerves.

A gasp rushed her lips as the heat surged up her body and she continued toying with her nerves. She felt his fingers join hers', she moaned lowly as he started to toy with her, her hand slipped loser as she found her entrance.

"Temari!" he strangled out.

"Hmm?" she hummed as she slowly dipped her finger into herself and pulled it out. his fingers lightly teased her nerves as the heat built and her hips slowly started moving on their own occord. It felt so fucking good.

Humming in delight she bit her lip, squeezed her eyes shut as her back arched off her bed. Then there was a larger intrusion with her finger which had a low moan escaping her as she felt Shikamaru's finger in her as his thumb toyed with her nerves.

"Shikamaru!" she pleaded.

"Fuck!" he gasped.

"Feels good," she gasped as she withdrew her fingers and pulled him down for a kiss as he continued to slowly toy with her. the heat was building, it was coming, she could feel that edge rushing towards her and the heat in her belly coiling, tightening and readying to snap.

Then it was all gone.

"Don't stop!" she shouted as she bolted up.

"I… I can't…" he blushed, and she knew then. Pulling him close to her again she shoved him onto the bed again. He grunted as he fell onto the bed.

"Mmm, first let's get rid of these," she grumbled in frustration as she pulled off the layers she had been struggling with earlier. Once the top layer was off she moved down to his pants. Shikamaru didn't protest as she deftly pulled them off. His member sprung free and she had to admit she was impressed. He was larger than she had thought as she came to straddle his lower stomach again. She wanted her release, she did, and she could feel it so fucking close that it was maddening, but this was for Shikamaru as she bent down and kissed him again. His hands grabbed her ass again, she gasped at the force again.

"Can't wait," he groaned.

"So now you're impatient," she panted as she agreed with him. sitting up she grabbed his member. He groaned lowly, she squeezed a bit, he looked like he was about to whimper and she smirked a bit before deciding to tease him a bit. Hesitantly she traced her slit with his weeping member, he groaned, she whimpered, and his hands grabbed her hips again.

"Temari, please!" he groaned.

"It won't last long," she panted.

"Don't fucking care," he huffed, and she smirked as she lined them up and slowly let her weight and gravity impale herself on him.

"Fuck!" he shouted, she let out a low moan as she slid down him.

It felt so damn good! She couldn't think, she could only feel him, pulsing in her, as she felt herself stretch and accomidate him. Temari angled herself as she slid down so he hit that spot in her which would have the heat building, stars emerging, and her toes curling in mind numbing pleasure.

Once she was seated fully she groaned lowly, he propped himself up a bit on his elbows as she kissed him slow, her hips started moving.

He fell back in a moan, she whimpered as the heat surged up with every stroke. He hit the spot and she cried out. Shikamaru shoved up into her, she nearly screamed.

"Temari!" he rolled them over as his hips slammed into hers, she felt that heat boil over as she screamed again as everything crashed over into her, filling her senses and exploding before her eyes. He gave a shout and she felt him fill her as he leisurely moved his hips a bit before he collapsed on her.

She stared at the ceiling.

"Fuck," he groaned as he rolled off her.

She started snickering, then it just boiled over as she lay there laughing. He smirked at her when she looked at him.

"Blow my mind and all you have to say is fuck," she giggled and looked at him.

"Can we do it again?" he asked in his lazy tone.

She laughed again.

"We're doing it again," she assured him, then she yawned as she pulled her covers back. "But for now we rest before going at it again."

"I can't move," he groaned.

"Warm bed, you freeze," she sighed as she curled up in her covers and shut her eyes. She heard him grumble before there was movement and a body curling up around her. His arm sliding around her waist. Her heart fluttered; she scolded it as she fell asleep.

* * *

Shikamaru woke an hour later, and stared at the warm body beside him for a long moment.

He had heard sex was great, but Kami…! He hadn't actually believed it when Kiba said it, or when Sai talked about it, or when Neji had said it was addicting. No, he hadn't believed the bathhouse talk about sex because it was sex! It also required seducing troublesome girls who could cackle and wanted nothing more than to dig their claws into him.

But this… this was different.

Staring at the frizzy blonde head of hair he just groaned as he rubbed his face and tried not to let his body think about how she felt, how wet she had been, how fucking good it had felt to be in her, or any of that. No.

He wasn't going to think about it.

"Mmm? Shikamaru?" Temari groaned as she rolled over, it was then that he realized that trying to get rid of his desires for her was pointless, he really liked her breasts.

His eyes were glued to her naked breasts which had perked with the room's chill. He wanted to touch them, he wanted to feel them, taste them and claim her all over again. Shikamaru forced himself to look up at Temari's eyes, but it wasn't helping him as she lay there looking at him with hooded, lust filled green eyes.

"Round two?" she whispered as she crawled atop him.

"Yes," he groaned as she smiled and leant over him to kiss him. Shikamaru grabbed her head and held her to him as his other hand slid over her spine.

He wanted this, he really did and he found he liked it far more than he should. But it didn't stop him as he traced her lips with his tongue and felt her teeth while he held her closer. Her breasts were pressed securely on his chest and he nearly moaned in delight as his hand rested on her ass.

"Shikamaru," she whispered when they parted for air.

"Temari," he smirked.

"You're way too good at this," she murmured and her mouth crashed onto his again as her nails dug into his ribs, her thighs cradled his hips and the desire he had felt earlier flooded him.

Temari moved up and he followed her, she slid into his lap, he grabbed a breast lightly then as her arms came around his shoulders. He moaned as he kissed her again. This had to be a crime, it felt way too fucking good for his own good as he reveled in massaging the weight in his hand.

Who knew a woman as hard as Temari would feel so soft to touch and hold? He hadn't expected that as he pinched her nipple, she squirmed and gasped as he continued slowly kissing her.

One of these days he'd use his jutsu on her and see if she was that sensitive to something other than touch. He groaned lowly though as he felt his hips grind into hers.

He wanted more.

* * *

 **I don't write lemons often so I'm practicing. UtDI... Stories are my everything practice for just about everything from lemons, action, drama and conflicts. Nothing till X-Mas... busy, busy, busy... ;)**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	41. Part 1: Chapter 41

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 41**

Shikamaru woke to his arm tingling, a warm, soft weight on it, a body pressed in on his, and the alarm beeping which had him scrunching up his nose in distaste as he slowly came too. Staring at the ceiling he heard a grumble beside him, then there was movement as a body slithered over his, he stared at Temari. She slammed a fist on the alarm the curled right up against his side again.

For a second he thought about this; because he was a bit disoriented at the moment, as he lay on his back and his arm was being used a pillow. Then it all came flooding him as he turned his head to stare at frizzy blonde hair as the woman clung to his arm. She wasn't letting go, she didn't seem inclined to move and as he rolled over on his side he slid his other arm around her waist.

Temari never moved. She did grumble something incoherent, but she never moved. Shikamaru slowly processed what had happened last night.

One: they had had sex, probably something mind blowing (at least for him).

Two: they had had sex multiple times.

Three: he was in her bed, and her alarm was reminding them they had work to do now that the Rinne Festival was over.

"Stop thinking," she growled.

"I'm not thinking," he said sleepily.

"I can hear your brain," she yawned as she arched her back, he let out a sound he didn't recognize as she pressed her ass firmly against his errection and she curled right back up. The woman was going to kill him; he knew it!

"Temari," he sighed.

"No sex, sleeping right now; sex later," she yawned and he chuckled as he pulled her closer and inhaled that spicy scent he was coming to recognize as hers'. This felt so right, and good, and he didn't know how he had made it here.

"Sex later?" he inquired lazily.

"Yeah," she mumbled. He chuckled and curled around her as he let his eyelid close and he tried to turn his brain off. It wasn't an easy feat but one he did because he wanted a chance to not think a hundred moves ahead of someone and just enjoy the moment.

He had no idea what the repercussions of this was going to be, but he was not eager to think about it right now.

Temari squirmed a bit more, he pulled the covers over their shoulders and he smirked a bit at her grumble, and he sighed. This felt right. He would just savor it.

He woke in the midst of a pleasant, warm dream about a certain blonde and her hands sliding down his body with a strangled groan as a tongue slid over his stiff member and he looked down to see a gloriously naked Temari. Her green eyes flashed u to him, her lips curved and he watched as her mouth slowly enveloped his member, his head fell back and he gasped at the warmth of her wicked mouth.

* * *

Temari had woken up to being warm and wrapped up in strength and muscles and a semi-errect young man holding her. He whispered her name, and inspiration had struck her as she figured he was dreaming about her. Temari hadn't resisted as she had maneuvered him onto his back and straddled him.

He was out like a light.

She wondered how long it would take her to wake him as she had started her quest, kissing him, sliding her hands down his body, and sliding down his body herself. She had noticed he wasn't inclined to wake up; she thought it to be adorable so she had changed her tactics then as she kissed her way down his abdomen. He never woke, but he was fervently whispering her name, which made her smirk. Until she reached his erect member, then she had sat there figuring out what she wanted to do.

It had started off light, but by the time she had managed to rouse her dazed lover out of his wet dream she was already sliding her tongue over him. Staring at him for a moment she watched him as she took him into his mouth, smirking internally when his head fell back and an animalist, strangled sound she couldn't describe left him.

Sucking lightly she swirled her tongue around him as she teased what she couldn't take with her fingers, sliding them over the hot flesh and under. She heard him gasp her name as she slid under to cup him. His hips bucked up, she pulled away before she choked. He was laying on the bed panting.

Leaning back over him she slowly resumed her task as she teased his member.

"Temari!" he gasped.

"Hmm?" she hummed around her mouthful, he bucked a bit and then his hand was in her hair.

"S-Stop," he moaned, she slowly pulled up, and stared at him.

"Shikamaru?" she questioned. She hadn't intended to make him uncomfortable, but before she could state as much he yanked her up to him then.

Mouths crashed, his hands slid down her shoulders, over her back, and to her ass as her own ands slid over the ridges of his muscles. The kiss was slow, it was deep, it had her toes curling in pleasure as her fingers dug into his skin. She pulled away as she sat up, he moaned lowly as she aligned herself with him. then she watched as she sunk down onto him.

Oh Kami!

She moaned lowly as she felt him stretching her, filling her, and slowly invading her every sense again as she seated herself on him. He gripped her hips with a force she hadn't known him to have as he whispered her name, she slowly started moving over him.

How was it that even after last night, after his first time, how was it that this felt so fucking good still!?

Her nails raked over his chest as she let herself go for a bit to enjoy it.

* * *

It was just shy of noon when he and Temari finally slowed down, he was gasping for breath as he rolled off her again and stared at the ceiling.

"How are you so good at that!?" she demanded.

"Huh?"

"Seriously!? If I didn't happen to know you as I do I'd think you'd have done this before!" she huffed as she gave him a mock glare, he smirked.

"I'm a quick study," he decided.

"Cheater," she chuckled. "So… we should probably talk about… this?... before it goes farther."

"Probably," he conceded as he slowly sat up, the sheet he had pulled over them after their last round pooling on his lap, he stared at her as she hugged her sheet and sat up.

"I leave in May," she stated firmly.

"I know," he said as he propped himself up against the headboard and internally decided he liked these big beds over the futons at his place. He looked Temari over, she had a few bruises, a few hickeys, and mused hair, but her eyes were the thing which ruined the bed look. Those penetrating green eyes were on him with an intensity he hadn't thought about or thought she'd possess. It was mesmerizing, he had always liked her eyes, but now they were entrancing.

"Do you…" she started.

"Let's… let's see where this goes," he cut her off. It wasn't just the sex he wanted, he had always enjoyed Temari's company because she was of the few who thought on the level he did.

"Huh?"

"May's a long ways off, so let's see how this goes," he decided.

"You really want to?" she asked in disbelief.

He shrugged. He didn't mention he had already thought of every possible outcome with this thing. Were they dating? Boyfriend/Girlfriend? Lovers? Friends? Or was it something else? Why did things like this have to be so damned complicated!?

Looking at her though he felt no need to be like any other boy his age, because Kami knew he didn't feel his age. Never really had felt his age, he was an old soul in a young body; or so his sensei had teased. However, he'd been through a lot these past years, and he had grown up fast, he might just be a young man, but he was a man nonetheless. He could not be a child. And since he was a man he had decided he wanted something other than a quick fuck or a friends with benefits deal.

He'd heard some of the civilian boys his age talking, and the lives they lead were so slow, carefree, and happy that Shikamaru had wondered if he had ever been that young. Now, now he didn't care, he had felt older than his age since the first moment he and Temari had kissed and he wanted to see what this was. He'd never had this, and he wanted to know if it was what his mentor had had with Kurenai, and what his father had had with his mother.

* * *

"I like you Temari, I want… I've never done this and I want to see what it is," he said after a long pause.

She sighed, she had vowed never to date anyone her litte brother's age, mostly because most guys that age were immature, and it'd be weird. However, as she sat there mulling over his words she noticed one thing.

Shikamaru never acted his age.

No, he acted older than her. He had always been mature, she remembered because she usually initiated the teasing, or the other foolish things they did, or just laughing. Shikamaru might be younger than her, but he was also definitely way older than she in many ways which was why she looked at him again.

"Alright, but just so you know I expect dates, not outings, dates, and I'm only here until May, after that, I'm going home, no long distance," she said.

"Fair enough," he shrugged.

She nodded and leant over to kiss him lightly.

"I gotta get changed, you need to leave, I'll see you at work tomorrow," she smiled as she stood up and walked to her bathroom naked. She could feel his eyes on her, and she internally smirked at the power she felt at having his gaze on her back. Once in the bathroom she shut the door, flipped on her shower to be boiling and stepped in.

She was kind of looking forward to what this thing between them could be, because she had never felt it, and she wanted to know. But she was also highly aware of the moment she returned to Suna, they would have to part because of their respective duties. Both for their villages, and for the Shinobi Union. But for now, while she was here, she could enjoy this.

Besides, she had never had a… boyfriend; she was guessing that was to be the technical term for what he was about to be with her; and she was curious if it was all of what the world said it was. Also, she liked Shikamaru and was willing to try.

If she'd been talking about this with any other guy, not only would they have not made it to her bed, but they would have been booted off a cliff for thinking to ask. With Shikamaru she felt it was going to be different.

Once she was clean, the water was cooling, she turned off her shower, walked into her room and blinked seeing the room made up. Her bed was made, her clothes were folded and on the bed, and there was no trace of Shikamaru. She chuckled then, shaking her head and then she picked up last night's clothes as she put them aside to be cleaned then pulled out her uniform.

No doubt there was work to be done here in the embassy. Walking back to her bathroom she winced at the sight of a few hickeys as she pulled out the concealer she had never used and slowly figured this out.

She was going to have a talk with him about where could and where he could not put hickeys.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	42. Part 1: Chapter 42

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 42**

"Ah, thank Kami, Shikamaru, could you watch Mirai for a bit, I just need to run over to the hospital and drop off a few things for Tenten," Kurenai asked as soon as he walked onto the compound.

"Uh…?" he started, he wasn't in a state to watch a baby bit it was too late to point that out as Kurenai shoved Mirai into his arms and was gone. He just looked at the baby and sighed, at least this girl wasn't so troublesome. Walking the rest of the way to his home he set Mirai down on a futon before he started changing. The girl just giggled as she rolled on the futon and he chuckled. She was so cute!

Sitting down Shikamaru stared at her as she stared back at him with owlish red eyes before she rolled back on her stomach and squirmed her way to him.

"You're not so bad," he admitted as he let her grab his fingers and gnaw on them. He rather liked Mirai at this age, she was cute, but it wasn't like he wanted a kid of his own right now. Mirai gurgled and grinned at him and he chuckled as he scooped her up.

"Well, I have work to do, so come on," he said and stopped. Had he really just said that? oh kami he was turning into a responsible adult. It was a terrifying thought and one which had him internally shuddering. He needed a nap, yes, that was it, he needed a few days off and then he'd be fine. There was no reason to panic.

Grabbing his coat he walked outside as he bundled Mirai in his coat and he walked to the office. He didn't like this but it was alright, Mirai was squirming around to see where they were.

Funny, she was almost a year old, and he had kind of forgotten that.

Mirai had been just before everyone had deployed, Kurenai had damn near broken his hand with each passing contraction, and as he stood there gallantly trying to take it he came to understand one thing about women: they had high pain tolerances to endure labor. But even for Kurenai it had been a lot to take. He remembered the moment Mirai was born, scream into this world and how his whole world narrowed on that screaming baby in the hands of the doctor.

It was then he vowed he'd do whatever it took to protect his sensei's kid. And Mirai was worth all the heartache in the world, she was everything sweet, innocent and new. And holding her when she was staring at the world with wonder, just reaffirmed this to Shikamaru.

"Hey, Shikamaru!" a familiar voice called to him and he turned as he saw Ino jogging up to him.

"Hey Ino," he smiled slightly seeing his friend wasn't mad at him. it sucked when Ino was mad at him, but he saw no traces of anger on her face.

"How was last night?"

"Good!" he choked as he remembered last night, it was far better than good, it was nirvana, it was perfection, and Temari and he were going to see where this thing between them went. Shikamaru was very curious and he was very happy about this development between himself and Temari.

"Great," she smiled.

"Your night?"

"Different," she smiled, but he could see the strain there which had his eyes narrowing on her.

"Ino, what happened?" he demanded sharper than he intended, moving a bit faster when Mirai started fussing in his arms and the icy wind bit through him.

"Nothing, it's just… it wasn't as great as I would have hoped," she said as they walked into his offices, Ino got the door for him since he had Mirai in his arms.

"What happened?"

"Nothing you can fix, I'll be fine Shikamaru," she dismissed.

Shikamaru frowned, he might not have always expressed it, and he might not always advertise it, but he cared very deeply about Ino. She was like a sister to him, and to see her putting up a front and telling him she was fine when she appeared not to be was enough to have his blood boiling.

He had known Kiba was a good for nothing! That stupid, moronic, dog loving, bastard had hurt Ino someway and Shikamaru was going to get to the bottom of this. No one hurt Ino without paying the price!

"You can tell me what is bothering you," he said calmly as he could.

"It's fine," Ino insisted. "I'll handle it, and where's Kurenai?"

"Hospital, something about dropping something off for Tenten," he answered as they walked into his office and he gently unwrapped himself and Mirai from his coat before he set the coat on the floor and put Mirai there.

The baby yawned hugely before stretching out and was sleeping soundly before Shikamaru was standing upright again.

"Oh! She must have had the baby!" Ino gleefully whispered.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Sakura had her scheduled for a C-section, I gotta go," Ino decided and she stopped. "It was nice talking to you Shikamaru, and take Temari one a real date, sex is great but dates are better. I'm going to go see Tenten now!"

"Huh?" Shikamaru was left there looking at Mirai and then he sighed. He didn't know about 'dating' Temari, but he and she had already decided they were going to try. Moving his work to he floor to be by Mirai he started working and on his paperwork and thinking over everything Ino had said and Temari had said.

He didn't know what was going to come of him and Temari.

But he had until about the end of April, beginning of May, to figure it out before she was home again. And while five months wasn't a long time, it was only December right now. He could figure this out before she left, he was sure of it.

He hoped he could figure it out.

* * *

Temari was not happy when she was summoned into a meeting with the heads of the embassy and spent most of her day listening to droning reports from Suna. It wasn't that her home village wasn't important to her, it was, it was very dear and important to her, but it had absolutely NOTHING to do with what she was doing here in Konoha.

Sighing her head fell back as she tried to focus and tried not to think about last night. That wouldn't help her concentration.

However, she had very dirty thoughts on the front of her mind, it wasn't as if she had never had dirty thoughts before, it was just… it was rare. Temari tried to keep a profession front up as she tried not to let her wild thoughts distract her. After all, she was not some out of control, hormonal teenager and she had other things to worry about than sex. But sex was just so damn appealing! And Shikamaru was a natural, slow, savoring lover, he was so fucking good with his hands and tongue that she was trying to think of anything but him.

It wasn't working.

Temari had several things she wanted to try with Shikamaru, however, this was not the place, nor the time, to think about these things.

Her body seemed to disagree with her brain though as it constantly throbbed to remind her of last night and how she hadn't ever had sex like that. And to make matters worse, her mind wanted to think about it so she wasn't fighting the thoughts, which lead to her squirming in her chair. And that lead to the leader of the embassy giving her the critical eye which lead to her wanting to run around and burn off her energy.

She was a diplomat!

She was not a horny teenager!

"Temari, is there anything you would like to add?" the presenter, a tall, handsome man named Takeshi asked her.

"No, just that the various patrols around the boarder be perceived as Suna pulling out of the Shinobi, I agree that we need this many patrols, but to not have our allies thinking we're an enemy we might want to have the patrols be covert," she admitted.

"I see, I will pass this thought to the Kazekage," Takeshi decided.

"Yes, and while we're on the topic, tell my brother that we might want a less neutral approach to the Shinobi Union, if we seem more proactive it will send a strong message to the other shinobi villages," she said calmly. She wanted this to work, but to do that she knew that would mean Suna had to come out of it's shell, and stop being so isolated.

All the shinobi nations were going to have to do this if the Shinobi Union was to work. But she also understood that the life of the shinobi was that of compartmentalizing, and that not all information was shared all the time. And that wasn't likely to change anytime soon given the line of work which employed these villages, but she had hopes that perhaps they could form a lasting alliance.

Shinobi would never fully trust one another but she had a hope that they could build something here.

"Is that all?" she asked when she noticed none of the others were speaking. "Very well, then I am calling an end to this meeting, I have work to attend to."

She rose and so did everyone and then everyone was scurrying out of the room.

"Temari, I was hoping for a moment of your time," a voice called and she turned to stare up at Takeshi.

"What is it Takeshi?" she asked keep her front of professionalism up.

"I just got transferred to Konoha, and I was wondering if you would know good places to grab a bite, with me," the man smiled at her and she frowned.

"I know several places to eat, but I do not interact with my subordinates," she stated. "I can give you a list."

"Temari! I'm… I'm asking you out," he said.

"I know, but I don't know you, and I don't date people I am a supervisor for," she stated and turned away. She was kind of dating Shikamaru and even if that wasn't a given thing she wasn't going to screw it up.

Walking out of the embassy she walked through the icy cold as she hurried to the office. She hated the cold! She couldn't wait to get home for a warm winter; however, she saw the appeal of being in Konoha for the summers. A Suna summer was murder.

"What'd I miss?" she chattered as she walked into the office she stared with Shikamaru. Peeling off her coat, mittens, and earmuffs, she turned to walk to the heater but stopped.

There, with a baby on his chest, Shikamaru was sleeping. The sight was so heart melting she couldn't even move as she stared down at him and the baby for a long, lone moment, a shot of yearning pulsing through her as she crouched down beside him and the baby.

It was Mirai, Temari had seen her enough to know and she felt her heart melt as she stared at them.

She didn't want to disrupt the moment, but there moment, but there was work to be done.

Reaching out she touched Shikamaru's shoulder.

"Hmm?" he hummed.

"Work," she said softly.

"Five more minutes," he grumbled. She sighed and smirked then she leant over him, her mouth a whisper from his and she decided what the hell.

Her mouth softly landed on his, his response was instantaneous as she deepened the kiss. A hand tangled in her hair and she pulled away.

"Awake?" she demanded.

"Not yet, perhaps another?" he sleepily mused.

She let out a laugh as she sat up, Mirai was awake then and giggling, Shikamaru sighed as he sat up.

"Troublesome women," he grumbled as he looked at Mirai, she just smirked as she sat behind her desk and started looking through the documents.

* * *

 **Sorry for the long wait between updates here, but I received soul crushing news and I just needed a moment to step back and take a breather before I killed characters in UtDI... because I would do that to relieve some of my anger. Updates might not be fully regular again for a while because of said news, but I will try to keep up with updating here at least once a week.**

 **That's all for now folks.**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act =)**


	43. Part 1: Chapter 43

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 43**

Temari found that within a week whatever she and Shikamaru were, was comfortable. At least that's how she felt about the matter as he kissed her right now and the shadows slid up her legs.

"Shikamaru…" she whispered as he pulled away from the kiss. His dark eyes were so bright in the dim lights of the forest, and she wondered how it was that she was pinned against the tree at the moment.

"What is it?" he asked her as he slowly trailed his lips across her jawline.

"I'm not having sex in the middle winter against a tree," she rasped as his lips found that spot which had her knees giving out. His shadows slid tighter around her keeping her propped up against the tree. A low sound escaped her as his tongue slid over her skin.

"I like the forest," he said softly.

"I like… warmth!" she squeaked. Seriously!? She was not one to squeak! But as his hands slid over the clothes she was wearing she found herself trembling in anticipation.

"You came after me, invaded the forest," he murmured.

"You were hiding!" she gasped as the shadows tugged at her layers.

"I was napping!" he muttered.

"Avoiding work," she countered.

"Troublesome woman," he stated flatly as he pulled away and looked her over.

"Yes!" she panted, part of her was disappointed that he had pulled away, and as she felt the shadows withdraw she wanted to say she felt relief, but truthfully, she felt really hot and cold at the same time as the shivers came. "But I wouldn't be here if you hadn't skipped work."

"I finished," he stated as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Really?" she challenged, feeling insane for challenging him at the moment when she was freezing and hot at the moment. She wanted his hands on her again, she wanted him so fucking bad she didn't think this was normal on any level.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Hm," she frowned.

"Come on, before I jump you in the snowy forest," he sighed as they started walking together. Temari was just relieved, she had only come into the forest because the office was empty when she had come in this morning for work, he hadn't shown up after lunch and the concern set in which had led her to stumbling around the Nara forest looking for him and finding him sleeping under a tree in the snowy forest. She hadn't known if he was stupid, alive, or frozen, which had led to her coming up check on him. He had pulled her into the kiss, she had pulled away, and he'd trapped her with shadows. Now they were leaving the forest; and she was internally relieved he was alive.

"What were you soing sleeping in the forest!? It's freezing out, and there's snow on the ground," she stated as her teeth started chattering.

"I was enjoying the peace."

"Should I take you to Sakura and check you for hypothermia? Or insanity?" she asked seriously.

* * *

Shikamaru hadn't been having a good few days, he'd had a roaring headache from the papers and problems he had been reading over for the Shinobi Union and then Sai's report had come in. that had been the final straw as he finished his work and then taken today off.

Everything was just… wearing on him.

He could handle the work, the pain, the greif, and everything that there was to take in life. He'd been taking all of that in since Asuma's death nearly a little more than a year ago. And today it had just sort of hit him all at once today. It wasn't often it hit him, but when it did hit him it came in as a crushing weight which could drown him. But today it had just consumed him and he had needed a breather.

Which was why he'd gone into the forest.

As a boy he had loved the forest, loved being there, and his father had loved the deer in their forest, which was why he had been there. He wanted to be close to his father and Asuma for a moment, which had lead him there. Then Temari had come and Shikamaru had just wanted a moment not to feel alone. Temari made him feel like he had a someone, at the present moment, and he needed it, needed her. which was what had led to him letting her find him in the forest.

She had walked into his forest without threat, without fear, but she also didn't know he'd allowed her.

Now they walked up to his home, his mother was over with Kurenai and Tenten today, helping with Mirai and Hajime, and Shikamaru didn't want Temari to go. He liked having her there, he liked her company, and in the past week, the most natural feeling in the world was having her with him.

"I'm not suffering from hypothermia or insanity," he said as they walked up the steps of the house.

"I'm not too sure of that, you were sleeping in snow, snow is cold!" she chattered. He chuckled at her shivering, he had figured out at the start of winter Temari wasn't overly fond of the cold, but he knew how nice the cold was.

There was a clarity in the cold, it couldn't be found in the sweltering heat, or the dreary rain, or the forceful days with the wind. The cold brought clarity in thinking, it cleared the mind, burned the lungs, but it brought clarity.

"It was a good day for a nap," he shrugged.

"You're crazy," she snapped. "Don't come crying to me if you catch a cold."

"I won't," he assured her.

"I wouldn't sound to confident, I wasn't the one sleeping in the snow."

"You are a nagging wife!" he sighed.

"I am not!"

"Temari," he caught her wrist as they walked in, she turned to him and he came forward as his lips landed on hers'.

* * *

She gasped as cool lips, and a warm mouth crashed onto hers' destroying her thoughts as he pressed her up into a wall. Slowly her eyes fluttered shut as his hand released her wrist, she was the one to grab his hand, he kissed her deeper as he pinned her hands beside her head on the wall. All thoughts in her mind had disappeared as her world centered around the kiss, his lips, his scent and the cold which was still radiating off his warmth. Her fingers curled around his hands as he pulled away from the kiss.

"You had better not stop this time," she whispered.

"Perhaps," he smiled against her pulse, she could feel his lips curl as his teeth lightly nipped her puls. She growled then as she shoved him back, they went crashing into the ground, she straddled his waist then as she dragged him up for a kiss.

She was impatient, she was needy, and her hormones were going wild since she had started sleeping with Shikamaru, but he liked slow. She needed hard, not slow.

"Then I'll make sure you don't stop," she purred as she pulled away from her kiss.

"So bossy," he huffed out.

"Mmm…" she hummed as she lightly kissed his jawline as she tugged at his clothes. His own hands were undoing her clothes as well. A sigh of bliss left her lips as she finally found her prize, Shikamaru's body, humming she lightly slid her fingers over him, relishing the gasp he gave at the feel of her cold fingers.

"So warm," she chuckled.

She yelped when his own cold hands found her skin and goosebumps erupted over her body, tensing her skin, and he just lazily smiled as his own hands slid over the curve of her hips and up her ribs. She was shivering then, both in anticipation and cold.

"You're shivering," he observed, she glared at him as she slowly lowered herself over her lover and let her own cold fingers travel down his abdomen. He tensed, she smirked, and then his hands cupped her breasts.

A strangled sound escaped her lips as she arched back, scooting back on his lap as he rose to sit up.

Fine, she decided they'd take it slow. So long as his hands kept doing what they were doing she didn't care what pace they went! His thumbs slid over her nipples, she bit her lip to keep from crying out, and his teeth nipped her collar bone.

"Shika…!" she gasped as her hands fell back to grasp his knees so she didn't fall back.

"Temari," he breathed, she shivered again, and his lips slid over her chest. He kissed the swell of her breast and then he was gone, she stilled as she opened her eyes to look at him, his hands were still teasing her breasts.

"What are you…!?" she groaned lowly when he tugged one nipple lightly, her hips shifted a bit, he groaned and she smiled. She could feel how much he wanted her, and she knew she wanted him, as he continued teasing her with touch.

Frustration was welling up within her as he continued teasing her.

"Still cold?" he asked her.

"Hm…" she hummed as her hands slowly left his knees, once she was certain she wasn't going to collapse. He finally bent over her breast, she stilled as she again looked into his dark eyes.

Her breath hitched as she watched him lightly trail his tongue over her breast, and she gasped when he finally swirled his tongue around her nipple before he took it into his mouth. The moan which left her had him lazily sucking, she wondered how it was he seemed to always savor her, his hand was traveling down over her hip, but she wasn't going to let him beat her as she tugged at his belt and freed his throbbing member.

Her hand grasped him, and he stilled completely. She was panting in triumph as he remained where he was, latched on her breast, and hand hovering just at the edge of her panties. Lightly, she curled her fingers around him, feeling the heat and throbbing of his member, he groaned and she sighed.

"Temari," he muttered as he let go of her breast.

"You teased me too much," she gasped; or she thought she did, as she gently shoved him back, he fell back without complaint, she tugged off her last barrier from him as she crawled over him, her body ghosting his, and her mouth a whisper from his then.

"No more teasing," she chuckled as he came up and kissed her, his hands diving into her disheavel hair, she sighed, before she pulled away.

His eyes never left hers', a low moan escaped him as she grabbed his member and lined them up. The throat groan escaped her as she slid down him. Slowly. Savoring the feeling of him in her, until she was fully seated.

"Temari," he moaned.

"Yes," she asked as innocently as she could while she started moving her hips to torment him.

"Don't be a tease," he hissed between gritted teeth.

Her head feel back as she gave a laugh before she started moving at the pace she desired, swiveling her hips until she had him hitting a spot in her which had her shouting in relief.

"Oh Kami!" she shouted.

His hands grasped her hips with bruising force, she arched back then as she felt the heat building, boiling her blood, and a pleasureable gold filling the backs of her eyes.

"Temari!" he shouted,

A sound escaped her as she felt his release in her and it had her tumbling over the edge as she rode out the release and slowly collapsed on his chest then.

"I didn't plan for sex when I came looking for you," she panted.

"Why were you looking for me?" he heaved, she shivered as his fingers slid up her spine.

"You weren't in today," she whispered the truth. She had worried a bit when he wasn't there after lunch.

* * *

 **Not my best lemon.**

 **Oh well.**

 **That's all for now folks.**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act =)**


	44. Part 1: Chapter 44

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 44**

It wasn't often that Shikamaru was irritated by others, he found it pointless, however at this point in his career as a member of the Shinobi Union he was finding there to be a massive thorn in his side.

The name of this thorn:

Tsumiki Kiddo.

Seriously, Shikamaru had never encountered a bigger penny pincher until he had been told of Tsumiki Kiddo's posting as the treasure of Konoha ANBU. After a few weeks of dealing with this behavior Shikamaru was kind of just waiting for someone in one of the other departments to snap so he didn't and he didn't have the yelling match with this penny pincher.

Sighing Shikamaru stood up to go have a talk with this Tsumiki Kido about securing the funds he'd need for some of the incoming families who were asking for loans so they could buy lands and for roots in Konoha. He didn't know what was going to happen with this talk or what he was expecting.

However, he looked up when he sensed a murderous intent rolling through the hall which had his head snapping up from his file.

"FUCK!" he yelped as he leapt out of the way so he wasn't run over by the furious pink blur he had just narrowly avoided her. Temari appeared beside him.

"Oh… someone's going to die," Temari chuckled.

"Tsumiki Kido!?" they heard Sakura snap and Shikamaru internally smiled at it now not being him yelling at Tsumiki Kiddo. Shikamaru just hoped that the penny pincher was alive when Sakura was done with him.

"How about some lunch?" he suggested when he heard Sakura start yelling.

"That sounds like a great idea," Temari said as she grabbed his arm and they hurried out of the building and hurried away from the fight that had erupted with Haruno Sakura's temper unleashed. It wasn't something people wanted to be around; Sakura losing her temper was a fast way for there to be trouble.

"How's your proposal for the immigrating families coming?" Temari asked as they walked into the cold streets.

"It's a drag," he sighed. "How about yours' for Suna?" he asked.

"It's going rather well, the council is hoping for an influx of money for the village," Temari answered.

"Mine too, we just need to have that Tsumiki Kido handled so we could get some money," he sighed.

"How about dinner tonight?" she suggested.

"Good idea," he smiled a bit knowing that there was a life outside of the Shinobi Union, it wasn't very big, but it was his life and he kind of liked it. Also he liked Temari's company.

"Great, I just don't want to be around for the carnage of that talk," Temari shuddered a bit. He chuckled as he looked back at the Hokage's office expecting to see a blow out or explosion any moment. Knowing Sakura shit was going to break.

"Me neither," he assured her as they walked into a small shop for lunch. It was a good quiet day for him.

* * *

Standing in front of her mirror she struggled to find something to wear for dinner. She didn't know why she had suggested a dinner, she didn't know what had compelled her to suggest that, but here she was now and she was trying to figure out something to wear! It was a nightmare.

Growling in frustration she thre away another dress and sighed.

This was simple before they had slept together and she was finding it to be difficult now. Sighing she let her head fall back as she took a breath to settle her thoughts.

"This isn't hard," she sighed, she assured herself she could do this as she slowly pulled up her hair. If Ino could get her pretty for that date then she could get herself ready for this date. sitting up Temari inspected her closet again and settled on her purple dress with some thermal tights so she didn't freeze her ass off.

Once she felt that this was enough she walked into her bathroom and sighed as she did her makeup before she froze in her spot. Since when did she do makeup and pretty for anyone? Blinking in shock she stiffened before she frowned at herself and then sighed.

"I'm nuts," she concluded as she resumed her primping. There was no reason for her to stop trying to look pretty.

The moment she was done she with her primping she grabbed a jacket and walked out of her room before heading to the entrance just as it buzzed.

"Hey Shikamaru," she smiled as she wlked out and he smirked a bit at her.

"Hey Temari," he smiled.

"So dinner?" she mused.

"I have a place in mind," he assured her as they walked, arm in arm.

"That's great, I just wanted to go to dinner so I didn't have a place in mind," Temari admitted.

"It's going to be good," Shikamaru assured her.

"Well, that's good," Temari teased and saw his blush but he didn't shy away from her or leave the conversation dead. Shikamaru instead chatted with her on occasion as they talked about their interests. Outside of their work she found they had a lot in common which was good for topics outside of the shinobi world.

Temari chuckled.

"So, dinner here?" she mused as they walked in.

"Why not," he shrugged.

"Well, it's expensive, and fancy and it takes a while to get a reservation here," she pointed out.

"I called in a favor," he shrugged.

"Oh really? From who?" she asked.

"Well, she's pink, and she's got a lot of connections," he clued.

"Ah, I see, and what did our pink friend want?" she mused.

"Nothing much, just a favor," he informed her.

"Ah, might this favor involve beating the crap out of one penny pincher who was recently appointed to the treasury?" she mused.

"Nope, different favor," he chuckled.

"I'll leave it be then," she decided.

"Good choice," he mused.

"Thanks for dinner," she smiled.

* * *

Shikamaru had decided when she had asked to go to dinner that they were going here, the problem was he wouldn't get in on such short notice, however… Sakura's father was friends with this restaurant owner. And he promised Sakura anything she wanted if he could have a date at this restaurant.

She'd just said sure because they were friends.

"You like this place?" he asked as he seated her.

"I've read about it, it's popularity is building since the rebuild."

"It's coming back," he admitted. It'd been very popular before Pain's Attack, and since the rebuild it was growing. The world was righting itself, slowly, but surely it was righting itself. He liked that it was going back to normal.

"The world is continuing," Temari mused.

"It always does, and it's going to be better than before," he predicted.

"Here's to a better world," she said softly as she lifted her glass.

"Here's to a better world," he agreed as they toasted and downed their drinks. Dinner flowed smoothly he found he rather liked that about Temari. They were comfortable together, nothing was weird between them, and nothing was that awkward 'off limits' topic like he had with most people.

After dinner he slipped her coat on her then.

"When are you going back to Suna?" he asked her, he didn't know why he asked this but he felt he should ask as they walked together to the embassy.

"When I get summoned back, I am doing good work here," she shrugged, but he saw her shivering. "I know I have to be home before the war anniversary, it's important to Suna that the Kazekage's family be present for ceremonies and celebratations."

"So you're here for a while," he smirked.

"Why? Eager to be rid of me?" she teased.

"You're like a nagging wife," he informed her flatly.

"I am not!" she defended.

"Troublesome."

"Cry baby."

"What a drag."

"Lazy."

"Temari, I'm serious," he sighed as he finally turned her attention back to their original conversation.

"I know, but I don't know when I'm leaving," she shrugged. Part of him whispered that she should never leave, she should stay with him. However, the moment the thought hit him he froze, where the hell had that thought come from!?

Sure, Temari was a great friend, perhaps his best friend, and they had fun times together, but there was no way he was thinking in the long term of having her stay with him. No, he would not be the thing between her and his village, it wasn't fair to have that decision between them, and he didn't want her to ever resent him. That was his nightmare. Temari was someone very important to him, someone who's smile meant a lot more to him than money.

"How about for tonight we don't worry about me leaving?" she whispered as she came up to him, her lips were a whisper away and he smirked.

"Sounds like a good plan," he chuckled as he kissed her.

* * *

Temari lay there awake in Shikamaru's arms that night as her lover slept soundly as she thought over his question. Truthfully she hadn't thought about her leaving; even though she hated the cold she had found herself growing accustomed to it and she had started thinking of Konoha as her home.

She had forgotten that she would have to leave, she'd just grown so accustomed to being here, to always having Shikamaru around to talk to and to rely on, she didn't want to think about how this could hurt her if she had to leave. She'd become far too attached to the people here, the life, the rhythm, the way things were and her own happiness.

None of that was acceptable!

She was a kunoichi of Suna! She would not abandon her village for a boy, or for friends in another village, and she would not shirk her responsibilities as the Kazekage's sister. Shifting in Shikamaru's arms she looked at his face, he was so handsome and peaceful and her heart hitched as the repressed girly part of her bloomed.

The desired to stay here, to turn her back on the world and just stay here, be with him, it was overwhelming and exceedingly tempting. Temari wanted… she wanted what all the other girls seemed to have, and right now she was holding it in her hands and she was happy.

Yes, she could see how this was a dangerous emotion for her to possess, and she could see how bad it was that she felt this for a shinobi of an enemy village (even if they were allies at the moment). Closing her eyes she sighed.

She felt so torn, torn between leaving right this moment and staying for forever.

Shikamaru made her happy, and he was her… her best friend, perhaps her truest friend too. Which scared her because she'd never been vulnerable to that before him. The moment he dropped into the arena her world, her life, it'd been turned upside-down and inside-out. He drove her insane, he made her laugh, he made her happy, and he pushed her to be better. Funny, she hadn't found anyone in her village who could motivate her like Shikamaru could, and that scared her.

It scared her so much.

But it also thrilled her.

Looking at his sleeping face she looked back at her ceiling and sighed. She was hoping for Gaara to call her back so she didn't have to make this tough decision of when she had to leave. Because she didn't want to leave. She liked her life here in Konoha, she liked Ino, Sakura, Hinata, Tenten, and Shikamaru, she liked the life she had forged her, and she liked being here. It felt like home.

But she knew it wasn't her home, she knew it was her life, and she knew that these people; no matter how close she got to them, weren't her people. And that burned her in a painful way which had the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

She wanted to stay.

But she needed to go.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks.**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act =)**


	45. Part 1: Chapter 45

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 45**

Over the past month Shikamaru and Temari had grown… comfortable, yup, comfortable, that was the word she was seeking. It was nice, having a friend, a lover, and a companion all in one man, she liked it. Shikamaru and she were good at this thing; whatever it was.

At least that was what she was thinking as she walked through the embassy, a bright March morning was filtering through the windows, and there was work to be done.

"Lady! Temari!" a boy's voice shouted desperately as she stopped and turned around to find herself looking at one of the newest Suna ambassadors.

"What is the matter Yuichi?" she asked calmly.

"There's a message from Suna, on the wire, for you, it's from Kazekage-sama!" the boy gasped. Temari swiftly left the door she'd been about to exit as she strode purposefully up the stairs to the offices where she would speak with her brother. Walking into the office she shut the doors and locked them for good measure so they weren't interrupted before she sat at the massive desk and looked at the phone.

"Gaara," she greeted coarsely.

"In an hour you will hear about an attack on Suna," her brother's monotone filled her ear and she trembled at that statement. "I am recalling you to Suna."

"I understand, who attacked?"

"Terrorists, fanatics of Madara's, forty-three confirmed dead, one hundred-fifty-eight injured, four separate bombs, suicide bombers," he filled in.

"I'll be home immediately," Temari assured him as she hung up and stood, there was a tremor which coursed through her as she gripped the desk. The war was over! The Fourth Great Shinobi War, the war to end all wars, it was over, there was alliances, and peace now, there was no fighting between the shinobi villages.

Biting her lip she shook her head of these thoughts as she stood up and squared her shoulders before she marched out of the office and went straight to her quarters to pack. It was earlier than she expected, but she had known for a long time that she would never get to stay. Her people needed her now, and she was going to go to them.

Dressing in her uniform she looked at her pack and noticed all the extra clothes she had acquired here, the odd knickknacks, and the pictures Ino had given her. She didn't want to leave here, no, she wanted to stay in Konoha, but she was a Suna kunoichi and she would not let her people down as she lifted her pack and walked out of her room. She'd have her things sent to her later. For now her main focus was saying a quick goodbye to Shikamaru.

"I'll meet you at the gate in an hour," she informed the guard.

"Yes ma'am," they acknowledged and she walked calmly through Konoha, though she did not feel calm. No, she felt as if a beautiful illusion of the peace she and Shikamaru had been creating had just shattered before her finger tips and another nightmarish war was coming. The exhaustion of this mere thought was staggering. It made her want to run away and disappear to live a peaceful life.

Walking up to the Nara compound she shakily lifted a tembling hand. Taking a steadying breath before she gave away just how rattled she really was she knocked.

"Coming!" Shikamaru's tired voice called out as she heard him stumble to the door before it was yanked open. "Temari!?"

"I've been recalled to Suna," she promptly informed him.

"Wait, wha!?" he yawned as she walked in.

"I'm going home Shikamaru," she said calmly as she looked at him. He was now fully alert.

"What?"

"In less than an hour Suna will be announcing they were attacked, the Kazekage feels that I am needed back in Suna," she stated. She was attacking this like a report to fill in and then dismiss. She didn't want to deal with a messy, sloppy, emotional goodbye with Shikamaru. They weren't messy, emotional people. And why would she want to end their good thing on a bad note.

"How bad was the attack?" he demanded.

"Four bombs, Madara radicals, forty-three dead so far, but I'm sure that the fatality will be up by the time this attack is announce," she whispered as she now folded her arms to hug herself. The chill of this was stronger than she cared to admit, but she would not crumble, she would not let her people down. She was the former Kazekage's daughter and the current Kazekage's sister. She would not break.

She Could Not Break.

"Holy… fuck!" Shikamaru gaped at her.

"I'm certain that right now my brother is speaking to the other Kage and warning them of possible attacks," she murmured and felt a tear slipping her guard. She furiously tried to blink it away when it slipped. Rubbing it away did no good though, for now it was as if the dam had broken and her tears were silently, and stubbornly, slipping her guard.

"Hey," Shikamaru grabbed her and she found herself securely wrapped up in his arms then. "It's alright, everything is going to be alright," he assured her.

"I want the assholes who attacked my home!" she growled as she wrapped her arms around him and just hung on for a moment as her guard silently shattered.

She should have known that all this good and happiness she had been feeling wouldn't last. She should have known that there would be something terrible coming. And it hurt so fucking badly. Biting her lip she stared over Shikamaru's shoulder as she trembled.

"We'll find out who did this," he assured her.

"No, this is a matter for Suna, and if we should require assisstence we will ask for it," she said firmly in a soft tone. Truthfully she would drag Shikamaru with her and have him find the bastards who orchestrated the attack by forcing his big brain to seek solutions to the problems!

* * *

Shikamaru held Temari tightly as she shook and he hated that there was nothing he could do to help her. Honestly, these past months with her here in Konoha, had been some of the best months of his life. He loved her company, he liked working with someone who was on the same thought process as him, and someone who could make him smile. And Kami did she make him smile.

He felt that Temari belonged here.

However, as she was reminding him with her goodbye right now, she belonged to Suna and that was nevre going to change. Temari was too good of a kunoichi to ever betray her village or to let them down. She wasn't going to leave Suna anymore than he was going to leave Konoha.

"You take care of your people," he murmured.

"You as well," she murmured as she pulled away and furiously wiped away her tears. Impulsively he moved as he caught her chin, tilted her head up and leaned in.

She gasped.

But his mouth was on hers as he kissed her languidly, he savored this kiss for it might truly be the last one ever and he would not let his last memory of their thing be her crying. Temari did not cry, ever, she was a force all of her own and she was strong as they came.

Temari pressed into him, her arms sliding around him as her fingers slid into his hair. A small groan escaped him when her fingers tugged on his scalp. His own hands slid around her waist as his fingers traced her back and he savored holding her so close. He enjoyed the way she molded into him and then he pulled away.

"Thank you, for everything, Shikamaru," she murmured and lightly kissed him before she slipped out of his grasp and he watched her go. There was nothing to say, there was nothing more he could do, because she would never leave her village, and he'd never leave his.

Shoving his hands in his pockets his head fell back with a sigh.

"Troublesome," he grumbled before he walked to his shower to get ready; no doubt he'd have work to do today. There was no way the Hokage would sit by idly about this and let Konoha possibly be attacked. And Shikamaru would be debriefed about the attack, and probably asked to coordinate with the other villages about this trouble.

Getting out of the shower he grabbed his last clean clothes, made a note to do laundry or ask his mother to do it for him since she was still living here. Pulling on his clothes he was unsurprised when he turned around to the mask of an ANBU member in his hall.

"The Fifth and Sixth Hokage have summoned your presence," the ANBU member stated holding out a scroll. Shikamaru took it.

"Thanks…" he started when the ANBU disappeared into smoke. Sighing he opened the scroll as he left his house and walked to the Hokage's office.

* * *

 **So... long time no update... Sorry about that.**

 **But I have a legitimate reason for my lack of updates aside from Murphy's Law ruling my life.**

 **I sent off three of my books, a few months back, and I've received two rejection notices so far. Yipee!? Rejections are both good and bad, so... I'm not certain how to feel about this. Anyway, I'm awaiting my third rejection notice, working on another book to submit for publication (which will probably be rejected), and I haven't been having a great life at the moment, making me busy. Sorry for the lack of updates, but we're getting regular again!**

 **Also, I've been job hunting; which epically sucks by the way, and I've been dealing with sick dog, my family, and I've been drowning with all the shit that seems determined to blow up on my family. But I'm back.**

 **Oh, and I've decided to join Archive of Our Own; same user name.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act! =)**


	46. Part 1: Chapter 46

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 46**

Temari arrived in Suna without any problems and looked up to see her brothers there to greet her.

"Kazekage-sama," she bowed to her youngest brother, and then she looked up at them. Gaara was completely indifferent to her but she was not expecting him to be pleased about her return under the circumstances.

"Everything is proceeding well with the Shinobi Union, but now it is time to care about the home fronts," Gaara said as he walked away. Temari walked after him as she accepted a scroll and read it over.

"We have found the source of the attack, a squad is awaiting your orders on the north rim to go seek out these terrorist," Gaara said and Temari opened the scroll. Uchiha Madara followers, Sons of the Sharingan, she frowned at the name, but she wasn't reading any ties to Uchiha Sasuke, which was encouraging in her mind. She was kind of hoping for the best in regards to the Uchiha situation.

"What was there motive?" she asked.

"They claim to follow the teachings of Uchiha Madara and demand we surrender to them to create a perfect world," Kankurō said as they walked. She frowned.

"They do know Madara did not speak of a living world but rather a dream world, right?" she asked.

"No," Gaara answered.

"I see, I will track them down," Temari said.

"They will be having public executions, it is time to show the world that though the Shinobi Union was formed the individual shinobi nations are strong without the Union. We will stand apart now," Gaara said.

"Of course Kazekage-sama," she nodded as she looked at the files.

Now, public executions might not be the normal in this day in age but this was the world of the shinobi, sometimes cruelty was needed to get the points across. Namely, they weren't to be fucked with. Though Temari was certain that this new world would be against torture, cruelty and executions, it was a reality. Also, it was effective. Crude but effective, and they were shinobi, if the civilians raised hell about it then they should figure out how to do a shinobi's job without it.

"We're going to display these carcasses and they're going to learn," Kankurō growled.

"That is hoping they are intelligent, from what I am reading they are not," Temari quipped. Yes, it was time to change the world again. It was also time to send a message.

"You will be ready?" Gaara asked her dryly.

"Of course, Kazekage-sama, it will be done," she nodded as she shut the scroll and bowed her head to her brother before she walked to her apartment. She made it there and opened up the door, immediately she was hit by the musty, stale, dry, cool air which had her missing Konoha then, however she had work to do. Dropping her bags she opened the scroll and started going over her mission, and looking over the assembled team as she unpacked and started cleaning her weaponry.

* * *

Shikamaru looked around his home.

Kami it was weird that that troublesome woman was gone. It felt lonely in a way, however, there was no time to dwell on his feelings, there was work to be done and he had a sleepless job. The world was still rebounding from the war, and he had matters of State to handle.

It wasn't going to be thrilling, but it was work, and he wasn't going to fail the world. His father had changed the village, Shikamaru wasn't going to let his father down. Only difference was Shikamaru was changing the world. It was a trifle more tedious, and far more intimidating, however, he was a Nara. Lazy as he may be, he had this shit handled. Of that he was certain.

He was also very certain he had no fucking clue what he was doing but, he was learning. Picking up the reports out of his father's, now his study, he walked out of the house and headed for his office again. The Shinobi Union was going to convene a meeting a month, and he'd have to attend, not a thrilling prospect, but there were reports coming from Shijima no Kuni.

Konoha's agent had successfully infiltrated the mysterious land, but the news he was sending was troubling. Of course the Hokage would be assessing this and deciding. Kakashi was turning out to be a good leader. Now he only needed to have his ceremony to officially name him Hokage, and after the last year it shouldn't be a problem.

Shikamaru looked up when he reached his office and saw the Hokages there.

"Normally I'm the one coming to you, what can I do for you, Hokages?" he asked as he set the reports he was reading down and sat at his desk to look up at Tsunade and Kakashi.

"Your take on Shijima no Kuni?" Kakashi said.

"Honestly, I have not yet formed an opinion, I need more intel. But I do not think that it is good, also with all the MIA, it is worth looking into. You said the agent had infiltrated, perhaps he should try to be accumulated into the village. And learn more about the teachings of this Gengo," Shikamaru said.

"That's what I was saying," Kakashi lazily said.

"We should strike first while we have the upper hand before they start another war," Tsunade snapped impatiently which had Shikamaru sighing.

"That wouldn't be wise, we are not sure we have the upper hand or not, what if their forces are more formidable than we anticipated. A full on assault is suicide, however, when we have more intel there might be a way to do this in a quiet fashion without starting another war. But if Gengo is nothing but a talker, then I think we might not have much to worry about, only time will tell," Shikamaru explained.

"You're not concerned about this?" Tsunade snapped.

"Not yet, there isn't enough information to be concerned about it, yet," he shrugged.

* * *

 **Hey, sorry, really painful month for me. I'm sorry for the lack of updates here, and I'm sorry the chapter is short, but I'm getting back in the swing of things. I was absent because my dog was fighting lymphoma, he lost the battle, and** **because I had to put down the world's best dog last week and I'm dying inside, I'm writing again.**

 **I'm going to try to update this weekly again. Just be patient with me.**

 **That's all for now folks.**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act.**


	47. Part 2: Chapter 1

**Part 2**

 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 1**

It'd been a while, really it'd been a while, since it was just him and Temari. And a lot of shit had happened between then and now.

For a recap of all the stuff that had happened since Temari had left back May, to put it simply:

Hell.

Shikamaru was honestly surprised that another Shinobi War hadn't broken out, especially with everything that had gone down, and he did mean everything! There'd been the attempted terrorist attack on the anniversary of the War, which had nearly taken Kakashi and Guy out. Not that it had, the Hokage was not ever a weakling, but the point was it'd been a bit too close for comfort. There'd been a massive, successful Iwa which had claimed the lives of one hundred and nine civilians, grievously injured two hundred more, and killed fifty shinobi. There'd been the rebirth of the Akatsuki, though that was merely rumors and speculation at this point, whispers on the winds. There'd been everything that had happened in Shijima no Kunai which had nearly cost them a lot of lives if he hadn't succeeded. Thanks to Temari of course.

And now, he was freshly returned from the moon, and all the disasters which had ensued from the abduction of Hyūga Hanabi. Naruto and Hinata were officially a thing, which was apparently big news in the Naruto fandom, Shikamaru on the other hand had only seen his friend kissing a girl and thought about his own girl. Not that Temari was his girl, no, they'd become… complicated over the course of the year. Lovers for sure, he was pretty sure they ended up in bed whenever they met up, but they weren't a couple. Something Shikamaru was thinking needed rectifying. A terrifying thought really.

But then again, Temari was a terrifying woman. Aside from maybe Sakura's temper, Shikamaru did not know of a more terrifying woman than Temari, and he…

He did not know what he'd do if he didn't have Temari in his life at this point, he really didn't.

Temari was a friend, she was a cornerstone for him to talk to, she was smart, she was spit fire, and she made him actually have to be awake and alert. Not that he particularly liked having to be awake or alert, or responsible, or working, but she made it all worth it and after everything on the moon he just needed something to be worth it. His work, though important, was just that, work, at the end of the day he was merely another cog in the shinobi machine which could be replaced. Temari made him feel irreplaceable which was why he felt she was going to be worth it.

Also, in the famous words of his father 'If she doesn't scare the hell out of you, she isn't the one for you'. Temari, needless to say, scared the hell out of him.

And that was what had him standing in Suna, on official ambassador business, but also on a personal trip too. He was a bit uncertain about his plan, but he felt confident that he could win Temari over; not today, but sooner rather than later as he stood there in the brisk December desert air of Suna's outer gate. He was here to see if he could perhaps invite Temari to this year's New Year's Festival. A real, proper date because Kami knew he'd missed her.

There was a formal greeting as Temari walked up to him.

"It's been a while," she said.

"Hey Temari," he started, she slugged his shoulder hard.

"That's for scaring the hell out of me! What the hell were you thinking Shikamaru!? The Moon! Kumo was going to blow you all out of the sky! Then where would we be! You stupid, stupid, stupid genius! I should knock you back to Konoha for the scare you put me through! I actually voted to blow the damn moon up!" she was shouting at him.

Shikamaru blinked as Temari's tirade when into full swing as she paced in front of him. He'd never seen her so… undone?, before. Temari always kept it together, always, there wasn't a thing in this world which could break her control, or her snarky personality, and now she was ranting and raving as she stalked around in front of him. It was a enough to have his mind short circuit for a long moment.

Her next actions though were enough to have his brain packing it's bags and waving him off as it left him behind waving farewell.

The sandy blonde grabbed his vest and yanked him to her, her lips smashed onto his, and he was too stunned to even react. She never did public displays of affection, or anything remotely girly, she had a rep to defend and she didn't ever break it.

Now though… his mind was gone as he stared dumbly at her when she pulled away. Temari's green eyes were glaring dangerously at him then.

"I'm glad you're not dead though," she stated and released him.

"Uh…" he just blinked.

"But if you ever scare me like that again, I will track you down for a slow and painful death, and you're taking me to the New Years Festival, and don't even think to try to get out of it because you don't like crowds," she stated in a firm tone.

"Now come on, the Kazekage is waiting for you," she stated and shoved him a bit forward. He stumbled but cought himself as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Troublesome," he sighed in exasperation.

"If we did this at your pace I'd die an old maid," she retorted.

Actually they'd probably be married by now, just as soon as he worked out the political advantages to present to Konoha's and Suna's elders and Kages. However, he didn't think he could think right now. Temari was glaring at him, but he was pretty sure that tinge of pink was a blush.

* * *

Temari had had a really bad year here in Suna.

There'd been thwarting of terrorists, attempted kidnappings, and the drama of the Shinobi Union. It was truly a mysterious feat how the Shinobi Union was still standing and hadn't tore itself down with all the Kage working with and against each other. It was just tiring to work all the diplomacy, and it was also lonely. Temari felt so very alone working all the diplomacy stuff. So few shinobi actively strove for peace when it went against the shinobi way. She kind of just missed having someone on the same page as her.

She just felt a bit isolated lately. And after everything that had happened with the moon… her heart trembled at the thought of how close they'd gotten to destroying their moon. She shuddered to think of how close she'd come to being permanently alone. A truly miserable thought, even for her.

No, it wasn't because Shikamaru hadn't been here, she wasn't a sap to think she needed him. But there'd just been an overwhelming amount of shit going on in Suna with her Shinobi Union obligations.

Her brother's demand for a marriage, the council's pressure that she also marry, Kankurō though was not bothered by the council. He had apparently stated bluntly that he was not into women, and even said that before the council who had all almost swooned at the news. Temari had known for years though, and she suspected Gaara of being bi or asexual, but she wasn't going to press the matter when his marriage to Matsuri was being arranged. Matsuri was a sweet girl, she'd be a good wife for Gaara.

However, Temari's problem was something a bit more complicated.

She didn't want to marry an idiot, and if the council had it their way, that's exactly what she'd be marrying, or she'd be marrying for a political match. That is, if she didn't get married before they could arrange it.

Which was where Shikamaru came into her equations.

When she had actually examined them, the thing between them she had to realize sever glaringly obvious things. One, they were very compatible, and well suited for one another. Two, he was smart, he did not bore her, and he was interesting. Three, the things he could do with his shadows… well, bedroom compatibility mattered as well, and Shikamaru was the best she'd ever had. Four, he was of a powerful, important, and political family; granted it was of Konoha but the point was it would be a good match. It would also express true unity amongst the Shinobi Union which was still… struggling for the unity. They were getting better, but it was difficult to change generations of thinking. And five, she might have come to love him. Which she was neither confirming, nor denying, it just was an annoying thing she was coming to terms with.

And kissing him right now was not her intention as she released him to glare at his stupid face for making her worry so much on top of everything else she'd been enduring. If she didn't want to throttle him so badly right now she'd have smiled at him.

"How is everything in Konoha since the Moon?" she asked as they walked through Suna now.

"Loud, there are weeping girls, and guys everywhere, it's a drag," Shikamaru answered. Temari frowned at that answer.

"Why is that, shouldn't they be celebrating the survival of a near apocalyptic event?" she asked; Suna had been celebrating nonstop since it was announced Naruto's team had saved the world again, and the moon was no longer falling for them.

"Naruto came down kissing Hinata," Shikamaru said which had her sighing.

Right, the mourning fans who had wanted to date the Fourth Great Shinobi War's hero. Even here in Suna it wasn't a secret, it was well known in fact, that everyone wanted Naruto to be theirs. To be their ally, their husband, he'd have a powerful hook in the world, and every village wanted him. She'd heard whispers that soon the other villages would start sending noble girls his way to try to gain his favor.

"That's annoying, you'd think the world would be pleased, besides, it took them long enough!" Temari decided.

"What?"

"Girls talk, Shikamaru, keep up, and how's Tenten with the baby?" Temari asked.

"Oh, Hajime is good, Tenten's a tired mom, but good, I think Guy and Lee keep her as much on her toes as Hajime," he shrugged.

"That's good, she writes me every now and then," Temari admitted. Strange to think the girl she'd beaten the shit out of when they were kids was a friend of hers' now. Life was turning out to be really funny that way though, and she couldn't fathom why it was doing this to her.

"Good," Shikamaru nodded.

"We're here," she said as she opened the door to the office, Shikamaru walked in after her as she guided him up to the Kazekage; for Shikamaru rarely came to Suna and didn't talk to Gaara, which had her lightly rapping Gaara's door.

"Kazekage, Nara Shikamaru is here," she announced walking in.

"Send him in," Gaara rasped, never looking up from his paperwork.

"Meet me at seven, the usual spot," Shikamaru whispered as he passed her which had her smiling a bit as she shut the door behind her and headed for her place. She was off today, and the only reason she'd even come into the office was because she'd heard Shikamaru was coming here on Konoha business, and Kami knew she wanted to see his stupid face after the Moon stunt. That and to make sure he really was alive, not…

Well, dead.

Sometimes it was like it was a dream to her, and she just needed to check to make sure her lover was still alive. Especially after things like the moon happened. She just hoped it didn't happen again, because she didn't think she could handle it if he did something like that again, and didn't come back.

For now though, Temari breathed, the end of a stressful year was coming to a head now.

Thank Kami.

May next year be a better year.

* * *

 **Yeah, I couldn't sort out my time skips, so I'll be going through with some edits in the beginning if I ever get time. I'm dividing this story into two parts now, and hopefully UtDIA will continue to be updated every Monday from here on out.**

 **In other news, I finally finished my move, life still sucks because I miss my dogs, and I got a job. So yeah, I'm alive!**

 **That's all for now folks.**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act =)**


	48. Part 2: Chapter 2

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 2**

Temari looked over at her lover as she sat up slowly, pulling the sheet up with her. After Shikamaru's meeting with Gaara she had walked him to the embassy, then she'd pulled him down for a hard kiss before she had ended up here. Though she supposed that it could be worse she hadn't expected this to happen. Groaning she dragged her hands through her tangled hair, this was not how a kunoichi was supposed to conduct herself, not at all and she didn't even want to think about how the elders would look at this.

Pulling the she sheet up and around herself she dragged it off her lover who mumbled his discontemptment at her actions in the pillow he was currently drooling on. She sighed as she secured the sheet around her to walk to the Konoha Embassy window and look over the city from this vantage.

There was this thing about desert nights she loved, and that was the darkness. If all the lights in Suna were out it'd be so black out that one wouldn't be able to see their hand in front of their face, she saw the attraction in that. The feeling of solitude and nothingness which came from being alone in the dark. She leaned back when arms snaked around her waist and lips found her pulse.

"Go back to bed," the man mumbled.

"I can't," she replied. Shikamaru didn't say anything more. No, he wouldn't, she was disrupting his sleep at this moment, and she knew it as she tilted her head back against his shoulder.

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like not to be a shinobi?" she murmured to her lover.

"Hm?" he hummed sleepily.

"Think about it, no more wars, no training, no politics, no life threatening missions to the moon under the threat of world destruction if there was failure," she sighed.

"Temari, what's this about?" he murmured into her skin.

"You terrified me, Shikamaru, you went up to that moon, and you might not have come back," she said.

"I was coming back, I had the best team at my back," he promised her sleepily.

"Really? Cause I think you had sheer dumb luck on your side," she countered twisting around in his arms.

"I had Sakura, and Sai there, and those two in a pinch saved my ass more than once, you know that, and I wasn't going to be stuck up there. Naruto's too addicted to ramen to let us stay up there," he smiled a bit.

She frowned at his attempt at humor. "It was dumb luck and you know it Shikamaru."

"Dumb luck never hurts, but I had everything planned," he muttered tiredly.

"Everything?" she contended.

"Everything."

"I don't believe you," she whispered.

"You better believe me, I wasn't going to be stuck up on that moon with only ruins and Naruto for company. I was coming back Temari, there's too much for me here to just leave it," he assured her.

* * *

Shikamaru wasn't the sappy kind of guy, he didn't speak poetry or just ooze that ridiculous romance guys like Naruto did. And since the moon Naruto had just been oozing those sappy romantic feelings for Hinata. Anyone within arms-length of them could all but feel the bubbly emotions and the love between them. It wasn't even puppy love, which was more impressive in his mind.

However, the only worry on his mind since his return was Temaru, and figuring out a political advantage to get both Konoha and Suna to agree to let them marry. Oh, there were the obvious reasons, he knew them all, he knew them like the back of his hand. But he also knew that if it appeared to a match because of love or something that they would shut it down as fast as it had formed.

Naruto's political appeal had vanished the moment Hyūga Hiashi had noticed the War Hero being in love with his daughter.

And though it wasn't known yet, Haruno Sakura's marriage was being arranged to be advantageous for Konoha and Kiri. Uchiha Sasuke's would be arranged to be beneficial for continuing the Sharingan line. Chōji's was being arranged with Kumo, with Karui specifically. And for his own, the plans weren't known to him at this moment but he wasn't so much a fool as to think that the elders weren't arranging something. If he could present something solid for sealing an alliance with Suna then he would have leverage to sway the council in his favor.

The only one exempt from political marriages, to his knowledge, were Yamanaka Ino, who's ties to the Intelligence community were too important to have toyed with and too valuable to risk putting her in the hands of foreign shinobi. And Sai, but the former Root nin was an odd one.

"I don't want to marry a stranger," Temari said suddenly.

"Who said you were marrying a stranger?" he asked her a bit sharper than he intended to as he stared at that rumpled blonde hair.

"I'm not a fool, Shikamaru, I am an Ambassador for Suna, I am the Kazekage's eldest, and only sister, I am a war hero in the eyes of Suna and belong to a prestigious bloodline. I know that the council is silently seeking out a good match for me which will be favorable to the village," she said tiredly. "And I have no doubts Konoha is doing the same for you."

"They're trying," he admitted. "But they have succeeded as of yet."

"And how are you thwarting them?" her tone was amused but condescending as if he did not have common sense.

"I'm working on a proposal," he admitted.

"For who?" she asked dryly, the snart in her voice and the worry as well.

"You," he answered.

"The alliance between Konoha and Suna is no secret," she started. Shikamaru kissed her hard then, spinning her around so the sheet fell to the ground as he shoved her up against the window.

"Just trust me, Temari," he said with a smile.

* * *

 **Check out my profile for the update schedule, if you have questions feel free to reach me on Tumblr or here!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Act =)**


End file.
